Albus Potter and the Cursed Collector
by 1198991k
Summary: Albus Severus Potter is the son of Harry Potter, the hero that saved the Wizarding World. It is his first year at Hogwarts and it doesn't go as planned. He is sorted into Slytherin, befriended Scorpius Malfoy, and is accused of stealing from other students. Cover Picture: Platinarts. If the artist isn't alright with me using their photo, I will take it down.
1. Chapter 1: Hogwarts

**CHAPTER 1: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

Mr. and Mrs. Potter were proud to say that their life was gratifying. They were content with the state of their lives. Their kids, James, Albus, and Lily, were pretty much well behaved, with a few exceptions of course. Life had improved since the fall of Voldemort nineteen years earlier.

Mr. Harry Potter was an Auror for the Ministry. He had aged somewhat, but still had the same messy, black hair, glasses, and scar. Now, he had some stubble, some muscles, and some scars. He loved his job and helping the world.

Mrs. Ginny Potter had retired from being a Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies. After that, she wrote the Quidditch column for the Daily Prophet. She had shoulder-length red hair and stayed fit. She loved her job and being a mother to her children.

James Sirius Potter was the oldest and was about to start his third year at Hogwarts. He was a Potter through and through. The boy had messy dark hair, brown eyes, and glasses. He was sorted into Gryffindor, was good at magic, and became a Quidditch Seeker.

Lily Luna Potter was the youngest with red hair, brown eyes, and a wide smile. She wasn't going to start Hogwarts for another two years. However, everyone knew she was going to be in Gryffindor.

Albus Severus Potter was the middle child and very different. He looked like his father with black hair, green eyes, and had similar facial features, but that is where the resemblance ended. They weren't sure what House he was going to be in. His brother thought Slytherin.

"Maybe Slytherin," James teased.

"No. I won't," he protested. "Mom!"

"James," Ginny Potter scolded.

"What?" He held his hands up.

"Stop teasing your brother. Eat."

"Okay." He rolled his eyes.

"Mum. When will we get dessert?" Lily asked.

"In a minute. First, finish your dinner. You can't fill up on sweets."

"We're lucky she lets us have any," James muttered.

Ginny slapped him upside the head.

"Maybe I just won't let you lot have any."

"No!" Lily pouted.

"Thanks, James." Albus glared.

The clock chimed and Harry Potter's picture moved to show that he was home. As the children ran to the door and talked to their father, Ginny made him a plate and sat it on the table. Harry picked Lily up and kissed her cheek. He patted James on the back and ruffled Albus' hair. Sighing, the boy fixed his usual unkempt hair.

"Hey Gin," he said, still holding Lily.

"Hey, stranger." She smiled.

He sat Lily down and went to his wife, and kissed her. All of the children made a noise. Shaking his head, he sat down at the table. Instead of eating, he pulled something out of his pocket.

"What is it?" Ginny asked.

"A couple of things. The most important is…Al's letter." He held it up as everyone stared.

"My Hogwarts Letter," Albus said, quietly. "Let me see it."

Harry handed it to him and smiled as his son tore into it. The boy quickly read it with a small grin. He stopped and looked at his parents.

"I'm going to Hogwarts."

"Yes. Soon we'll have to go to Diagon Alley. Is the list of supplies there?"

"Yeah."

Ginny looked over his shoulder.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

UNIFORM

1st-year students will require

Three sets of plain work robes (black).

One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear.

One pair of protective gloves (dragonhide or similar).

One winter coat (black, silver fastening).

Please note that all students' clothes should have name tags.

COURSE BOOKS

All students should have a copy of each.

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk.

A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.

Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling.

A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch.

One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllids Spore.

Magical Drafts and Potions by Arenius Jigger.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander.

The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble.

Home Life and Social Habits of British Muggles by Wilhelm Wigworthy.

The Wizarding World: Volume 1 by Leda Roulling.

OTHER EQUIPMENT

Wand cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set.

Glass or crystal phials.

Telescope set.

Brass scales.

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad.

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.

"Okay. I guess James can give you some of his stuff like old textbooks," Ginny said.

"I'll get it later," James replied.

"Make sure you do. And while you're in there…clean your rooms."

"Sure," He laughed.

"Why do you suppose there is a Muggle Studies book?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know. I guess we will find out."

A few weeks later, the Potter Family got ready to head to Diagon Alley. They got on a train and rode to London. Traveling through the city, James told his brother about Hogwarts. None of it was true though, but Albus didn't know that. They all passed many shops, restaurants, and other places. Finally, they go to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Oh, Harry Potter." A man walked up. "Could y-you maybe, um, sign this for me?"

"Sure."

As he did so, his family had various reactions. Ginny sighed, James smirked, Lily smiled, and Albus glared. Soon, many people were trying to talk to Harry Potter. It took thirty minutes to get through the Leaky Cauldron. They went out back to a small, walled courtyard.

"This is my favorite way to Diagon Alley. I took James here in his first year. Now it's your turn," Harry said quietly. "Three up, two across."

Harry tapped the bricks three times with the tip of his wand. The bricks started to move and reveal a small hole, which grew larger and larger. A second later, there was a huge archway that they could walkthrough. They stepped on the cobblestone street and started to shop. Right away they found cauldrons. After that, they had to go and get Albus a uniform.

"Ah, another Potter," Madam Malkin said. "Looks like his father." She stared at him for a second. "The same size…" The old woman ran off and came back for some cloth.

Albus got up on the stool and stood there. The woman draped the cloth over him and started putting pins in them. He was almost done when the Weasley family walked in.

"Rose!" The boy called, trying not to move.

"Hold still," Madam Malkin said.

"Sorry."

"Must be fun to be there," Rose said.

"Loads." The boy rolled his eyes.

"How have you been? Ready for Hogwarts?"

"I think so," He looked at the ground.

"Me too, but I hate we can't have broomsticks and play Quidditch," Rose pouted.

"I think I am fine with that."

"What? How dare you? You're a Potter. You will be great."

"Ok."

"Yeah. We both can play with Gryffindor." She smiled, imagining it.

"Unless he is in Slytherin," James said, joining the conversation.

"Oi. Stop saying that," Albus said.

"Yeah, that joke isn't very funny," Rose glared.

"All done," Madam Malkin said.

"My turn," Rose said.

"I'll be right back." She rushed off for some more cloth.

"Hogwarts will be great. We will be in Gryffindor, get to learn all sorts of stuff, and go on adventures…" Rose went on. "It will be just like when your parents went to school."

"But…we aren't our parents. What if I'm not great like my dad?"

"Nonsense. Of course, you will be great," Rose rolled her eyes like that thought of him being unlike his father in any way was impossible.

"If you say so," The boy sighed.

"You're done."

"Thanks."

They went back to their parents.

"You okay?" Harry ask noticing Albus' expression.

"I'm fine."

"Well, let's get some ice cream. Just us two," Harry suggested.

"Okay."

Albus went into the ice cream shop and looked at the many flavors. He couldn't decide. His father and brother like chocolate and raspberry. His mother and sister like strawberry. After a couple of minutes of looking, he decided on vanilla with caramel syrup. His father got the same as usual. Both sat in silence. Albus was still nervous about Hogwarts and Harry didn't know what to say.

"Um, Dad?" Albus finally said.

"Yes, son."

"Do you think I will be sorted in Gryffindor?"

"I believe so, but it doesn't matter if you aren't. Only the Hat really knows," Harry answered.

"Well, then I guess I can't wait to go to Hogwarts to find out." The boy plastered on a fake smile, trying to comfort himself.

"Let's go back. We still have to buy you a wand."

They met back up with the rest of the Potter Family. Ginny had gotten the other things; scales for Potions class, a telescope for Astronomy, ingredients for Potions, and the textbooks. James had gotten himself some odd items for his pranks later. Lily had some parchment and was writing something. The whole family went to Ollivanders.

"Can I get one?" Lily asked.

"Not now. Wait until you go to Hogwarts," Ginny told her.

"Fine." She crossed her arms and pouted.

James, who already had his, stood and planned pranks.

"Hello, Albus Potter isn't," A soft voice said.

A man walked out. He was tall, with greyish hair, and almost white eyes.

"Yes, sir."

"I see." Mr. Ollivander pulled out a measuring tape.

He measured many things; his arms, legs, head, and even nostrils. After he was done, he stared at Albus. The boy shifted and didn't look him in the eye. Finally, the man looked away and started to pace.

"Hmm, my father gave your father…I wonder." Mr. Ollivander turned and pulled a wand off the shelf. "Hawthorn, 12 inches, Phoenix feather. Rigid." He handed the want to the boy.

He waved it around and nothing happened.

"Alright. Try this, Beechwood, 11 inches, and unicorn hair. Springy."

Albus raised it and again nothing happened.

"Let's see. Ebony, unicorn hair, 11 inches. Whippy."

The boy barely moved his wrist when it was snatched out of his hand.

"No. Vine, dragon heartstring, 11 inches, nice and supple." He handed it to Albus.

Again, nothing. The man grabbed many wands. The pile was getting high and Albus was getting impatient. Lily and James were trying to wander off. Both Harry and Ginny were getting a little frustrated with them.

"Try this. Holly, unicorn hair, 11 inches, and slightly yielding." Mr. Ollivander handed it to him.

Albus grabbed it and suddenly felt a warmth coming from the wand. On it, there were little seeds, which Albus rubbed. The wand seemed to be alive in his hands. He lifted it slightly and waved it. Sparks flew from the end of it and light.

"I see. It's a very good wand. One of the last ones my father made. I remember what he said when he made it, right before Voldemort showed up. 'The one with this wand is destined for hardship, but they will prevail and surprise the world.'"

Shaken up, Harry paid for the wand. Ollivander was a smart man and was right about a lot of things. He feared for his son at Hogwarts. Hopefully, the man had gotten the wands mixed up. Surely, everything was going to be okay now that Voldemort was gone. Nothing bad would happen.

Weeks later, the family was heading back to King's Cross. Albus shivered as they made to the station. Autumn had come strong and fast. Leaves were already turning and falling. Harry and Ginny were leading their kids through the place, trying to keep up with all of them. The car exhaust, yelling, and such made it hard to focus. As Albus and James pushed their things, Lily trailed behind, crying.

"Can't I go to Hogwarts? Please, Dad." She pulled in his sleeve.

"It won't be much longer," Harry said.

"Two years is a long time. I want to go now!"

"I won't!" Harry heard Albus' say. "I won't be in Slytherin."

The boys were still arguing over it.

"James, stop it!" Ginny yelled.

"Well, he might be," James said, smirking.

"Stop." Ginny glared at her son.

"Fine." James rolled his eyes and ran off, pushing his trolley.

"You'll write to me, won't you?" Albus asked, happy his brother was gone.

"Every day," Ginny said.

"No! Not every day," Albus said quickly. "James said most people only get letters once a month."

"I wouldn't listen to your brother," Harry told him. "He likes a laugh."

They stopped at the wall and Albus stared, terrified.

"It's alright." Harry patted his son on the back. "Just close your eyes and run. When you open them you will see the train."

"Sounds easy." Albus nodded.

He closed his eyes and ran. He cringed, waiting for the impact, but one didn't come. He opened his eyes. He was standing on a platform. He looked up and say Platform 9 ¾. Then, he saw the train.

"It's exciting, isn't Al?" Harry said, making Albus jump.

"Yeah. So where are they?" Albus asked, looking around.

"I think that's them over there." Ginny pointed.

Four people came from the mist. Ron was standing there with his arm around Hermione's waist and was talking to Hugo and Rose. Rose had her red hair pulled back into braids and was already wearing her brand-new Hogwarts robes. She turned, ran over, and hugged him, almost knocking him down.

"Hey, Al! I am so excited. Hogwarts!" She squealed.

"Yep." He smiled back at her.

"Parked all right, then?" Ron asked Harry as he walked over. "I did. Hermione didn't think I could. It's only a Muggle driving test. She thought I would have to Confund the examiner."

"No, I didn't," Hermione lied, "I had complete faith in you."

"Thank you." He leaned towards Harry and whispered, "As a matter of fact, I did Confund him." The pair loaded their kids' trunks onto the train. "I just forgot to look in that wing mirror. I could use a Supersensory Charm for that, so no harm done."

"Sure Ron," Harry laughed.

When they returned, Lily and Hugo were having an animated discussion on Hogwarts Houses. Rose and Albus tried to talk, but it was useless. Both fathers smiled at the children.

"If you're not in Gryffindor, we'll disown you," Ron teased, "but no pressure."

"Ron!" Hermione hit his arm. "Don't say things like that."

Lily, Hugo, and Rose laughed, but Albus just stared at the ground.

"Don't listen to him," Ginny said, patting Al's back.

Ron was no longer paying attention, but staring far away at something. He caught Harry's eye and nodded at someone some fifty yards away. There were three people standing there and one looked very familiar. Harry tensed.

Draco Malfoy was there with his family. He wore a dark coat that was buttoned up to his throat. His hair had receded a little, making his pointed chin more pronounced. The little boy next to his resembled Draco greatly. His wife had dark hair and appeared to be too skinny. She clutched Draco's arm and he had an arm around her waist. Draco caught them all staring at him and nodded, then turned away.

"So that's little Scorpius," Hermione said.

"Make sure you beat him in every test, Rosie."

"For heaven's sake," Hermione said, half amused, half angry. "Don't turn them against each other before school has even started."

"You're right. My apologies, ma'am." He smiled.

"Hey!" A voice said in the mist. It cleared and revealed an excited James.

"There you are," Ginny said.

"Teddy's back there," he said trying to catch his breath. He pointed over his shoulder. "Just see him! Come on."

"No. Now, what is it?" Ginny crossed her arms.

"He's…snogging Victoire!" He held his arms out.

They just stared at him, not interested. James' arms dropped down to his side and he huffed, unhappy about their lack of excitement.

"Our Teddy. Teddy Lupin. He's snogging Victoire. Our cousin!"

"And?" Harry shrugged.

"It's a big deal. So I asked him what he was doing-."

"You interrupted them?" Ginny said.

"Well…"

"You are just like Ron, so insensitive."

"Oi." Ron looked at his sister.

"He said," James gathered their attention again, "he'd come to see her off! Then he told me to leave. But, he was kissing Victoire Weasley." He looked at them, still upset.

"Oh," Lily rolled her eyes. "Wow. Now they could get married. Would it be lovely? Then, he would really be part of the family."

"You're right," Harry said, touching his chin. "He already comes over for dinner four times a week and sleeps over. Let's just invite him to live with us and be done with it?"

"Yeah!" James said. "I can share a room with Al-."

"No," Harry said, sternly. "My house would be demolished."

He checked his old watch that had once been Fabian Prewett's.

"It nearly eleven, you'd better get on board."

"Give Neville our love!" Ginny told James.

"Mum! I can't give a professor love."

"But you know Neville."

"He is still a Professor. I can't waltz into Herbology and give him love." He shook his head, then tried to kick Albus. "Hey, Al, watch out for thestrals."

"What? I thought they were invisible?!"

James laughed, let his mother kiss his cheek, gave his father a quick hug, and then leapt onto the train. He waved back and ran off to meet his friends.

"Don't worry about thestrals," Harry reassures Albus. "They're gentle creatures. There is nothing to fear. You won't even see them."

"Really?"

"Of course. You are going to the school in boats, not carriages."

Ginny kissed Albus' cheek.

"See you at Christmas."

"Bye, Al." Harry hugged his son. "Don't forget Hagrid's invited you for tea next Friday. Don't mess with Peeves. Don't duel anyone until you've learned how. And don't listen to James."

"I will. But…"Albus paused.

"Yes?"

"What if I'm in Slytherin?" Albus whispered to his father.

Harry knew that only actually fear could have forced him to ask. Harry kneeled in from of Albus'. Meeting his son's green eyes, which he alone got from Lily.

"Albus Severus," Harry said quietly so that nobody could hear, "you were named after two headmasters of Hogwarts. One of them was a Slytherin and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew."

"But just say-."

"—then Slytherin House will have gained an excellent student, won't it? It doesn't matter to us, Al. But if it matters to you, you'll be able to choose Gryffindor over Slytherin. The Sorting Hat takes your choice into account."

"Really?"

"It did for me," said Harry.

He had never told any of his children that before, and he saw the wonder in Albus' face when he said it. The doors of the train started to close and people were running to get on the train. Albus got one last hug and kiss from his parents. He jumped onto the carriage and Ginny closed the door behind him. The train began to move and Harry walked alongside it, watching his son's excited face. Harry kept smiling and waving, even though it was sad to watch his son glide away from. He stood there, waving until it was gone from sight. For whatever reason, he was worried about him and didn't want him from his sight.

"He'll be alright," Ginny said, grabbing his hand.

"I know he will."

He lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched his lightning scar on his forehead. The scar had not pained Harry for nineteen years. All was well.

Albus and Rose got on the train. One was nervous, while the other was excited. The pair walked down the carriage of the train. From behind, the Trolley Witch came, pushing her trolley.

"Anything from the trolley, dears?" She asked. "Pumpkin Pasty? Chocolate Frog? Cauldron Cakes?"

Albus stared longingly at them. His parents didn't allow him many sweets. He stood there until Rose noticed.

"Al. We need to concentrate," She scolded.

"Concentrate on what?" School hadn't even started yet, he thought.

"On who we choose to be friends with," Rose said like it was obvious. "My mum and dad met your dad on their first Hogwarts Express, you know…"

"So we need to choose now who to be friends with for life? That's quite scary." He looked to his feet and twisted his fingers.

"Actually, I find it exciting. I'm a Granger-Weasley, you're a Potter- everyone will want to be friends with us. We've got a pick of anyone we want," Rose said, confident.

"So how do we decide- which compartment to go in…"

"We rate them all and then we make a decision."

Albus went to the first compartment and opened the door. Sitting there, was a lonely blond kid. Scorpius, he remembered. He was alone and surrounded by sweets. Albus smiled at him, knowing this was the one. The boy smiled back.

"Hi. Is this compartment…?" He started.

"It's free. It's just me."

"Great. So we might just come in- for a bit- if that's okay?"

"That's okay," Scorpius said.

"Albus. Al. I'm-my name is Albus…" He choked out.

"Hi, Scorpius. I mean, I'm Scorpius. You're Albus. I'm Scorpius." He looked at Rose. "And you must be…"

"Rose," She said, curtly.

"Hi, Rose. Would you like some of my Fizzing Whizbees? I've also got some Shock-O-Choc, Pepper Imps, and some Jelly Slugs. Mum's idea-she says," Scorpius started to sing, "'Sweets, they always help you make friends.'" He realized that singing was a mistake. The boy blushed. "Stupid idea, probably."

"I'll have some...Mum doesn't let me have sweets. Which one would you start with?"

Rose elbowed Albus in the side while Scorpius wasn't looking. He ignored her.

"Easy." Scorpius smiled. "I've always regarded the Pepper Imps as the king of the confectionery bag. They're peppermint sweets that make you smoke at the ears."

"Brilliant, then that's what I'll-," He was hit by Rose again. "Rose, will you please stop hitting me?"

"I'm not hitting you," She lied.

"You are hitting me and it hurts."

Scorpius, realizing what was happening, stopped smiling.

"She is hitting you because of me."

"What?"

"Listen, I know who you are, so it's probably only fair you know who I am," Scorpius said, trying to be brave.

"What do you mean you know who I am?" Albus asked nervously.

"You're Albus Potter. She's Rose Granger-Weasley. And I'm Scorpius Malfoy. My parents are Astoria and Draco Malfoy. Our parents-they didn't get on," He finished quietly.

"That's putting it mildly," Rose said harshly. "Your mum and dad are Death Eaters!"

"Dad was-but Mum wasn't," Scorpius said, affronted.

Rose looked away at the mention of his mother.

"I know what the rumor is, and it's a lie," He told her.

Albus stood there, shocked. He looked at Rose, who was uncomfortable and not meeting his eyes. Then, Scorpius, who was desperate for a kind word.

"What is the rumor?" He asked, unsure if it was okay.

"The rumor," He emphasized. "Is that my parents couldn't have children. That my father and grandfather were so desperate for a powerful heir - to prevent the end of the Malfoy line - that they...that they used a Time-Turner to send my mother back…"

"To send her back where?" Albus wondered.

"The rumor is that his parents asked Voldemort to help them make a son, Albus," Rose said, gently. There was an uncomfortable silence. "It's probably rubbish. I mean...look, you've got a nose."

Scorpius laughed, grateful.

"And it's just like my father's," Scorpius promulgated. "I got his nose, his hair, and his name. Not that that's not a great thing either. I mean - father-son issues, I have them. But on the whole, I'd rather be a Malfoy than, you know, than the son of the Dark Lord," He shared.

Scorpius and Albus' eyes meet. Something passes between them. A kinship.

"Yes, well," Rose interrupted, "we probably should sit somewhere else. Come on, Albus."

Albus doesn't move. He sat there and thought about it. This was a big choice.

"No," he said strongly. "I'm okay. You go on…"

"Albus. I won't wait," She warned.

"And I wouldn't expect you to. But I'm staying here," He replied.

Rose stared at him for a second, before turning.

"Fine!" She left.

Scorpius and Albus sit, staring at each other.

"Thank you," Scorpius said quietly.

"No. No. I didn't stay for you. I stayed for your sweets," Albus said, leaning back.

"She's quite fierce," Scorpius commented.

"Yes. Sorry," He apologized.

"No. It's fine. Do you prefer Albus or Al?"

After a second he said, "Albus."

Scorpius having eaten a Pepper Imp, suddenly had smoke coming out of his ears.

"THANK YOU FOR STAYING FOR MY SWEETS, ALBUS!" Scorpius yelled.

"Wow," Albus laughed.

The boys are candy and talked about what they knew about Hogwarts, Soon they were putting on their robes and getting ready to get off the train. The train stopped and they got off. Scorpius and Albus, with the others, were led to the school by Hagrid.

"Hey, Al." His face fell as he saw Scorpius.

"Hey, Hagrid." Albus waved.

"Oh." Scorpius smiled. "Hey, Hagrid." He waved as well.

Hagrid, shocked, waved back.

The students were led to the Great Hall. All stared in awe at the room, the enchanted ceiling, and the children of war heroes.

"Albus Potter," Polly Chapman said.

"A Potter. In our year," Karl Jenkins exclaimed.

"He's got his hair," Yann Fredricks whispered. "He's got hair just like him."

"And he's my cousin," Rose said, causing them to turn. "Rose Granger- Weasley. Nice to meet you."

McGonagall called them to order and gave a brief speech. They were to put on the hat and be Sorted into the following houses; Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. The Hat came to life and started to sing.

"I've done this job for centuries.

On every student's head, I've sat.

Of thought I have inventories.

For I'm the famous Sorting Hat.

"I've sorted high, I've sorted low.

I've done the job through thick and thin.

So put me on and you will know.

For I'm the famous Sorting Hat."

"Rose Granger-Weasley," McGonagall said.

The girl skipped to the stage and sat on the stool. The Sorting Hat was placed on her head. Almost immediately it yelled out.

"Gryffindor!"

People cheered as she smiled. She got off and joined her fellow Gryffindors. Rose sat next to James.

"Good job, sis. Soon Al will be here," He said.

"Yes. Hogwarts is going to be great."

Meanwhile, Albus sat there nervous. He wasn't as confident as his family members. He stared, not listening until his friend was called.

"Scorpius Malfoy."

Both listened to the whispers. Scorpius climbed onto the stool. The Hat was placed on his head.

"Ah," It said, startling him. "I see. You are not like the other Malfoys I have sorted. You are kind and smart. I wonder…"

'I want to help my family,' Scorpius thought.

"Your family?" It asked.

'Yes. I want to fix their reputation.'

"Well, then Ravenclaw will be a great fit."

'I don't want to leave Slytherin. All of them, the whole House, deserves redemption.'

"Oh. Now that's ambitious. The right kind. Well, alright."

'I want Slytherin.'

"Slytherin!" It called.

Slytherin cheered as everyone else stayed silent. Scorpius, half smiling, went and joined them. He met Albus' eyes and both smiled widely.

"Albus Potter."

He timidly walked to the stage. Albus stepped up and sat on the stool. Everything seemed to slow down. He held his breath and stared at the ceiling. The Hat was sat on his head.

"A new Potter. A strange Potter. You have some bravery and you aren't dumb. There is some resourcefulness."

'Not Slytherin.'

"Oh. Your father said the same thing. Are you sure?"

'I don't want to be different.'

"But you are. Being in Gryffindor won't change that. You won't belong there."

Albus suddenly looked at Scorpius, who was so hopeful. Albus had felt a connection to the boy. How bad could it be? Scorpius was there. He wasn't evil. Maybe everything would be okay. It will be as long as he was with his...friend.

"So you've decided," It said.

'Yes.'

"Slytherin!"


	2. Chapter 2: Classes

**CHAPTER 2: Classes**

The Hall became so quiet that you could hear a quill drop. Albus stepped off and started his way to the Slytherin table.

"Wait. This can't be right. This isn't how it's supposed to be," Rose whispered. "James?"

"My joke came true," He whispered back.

Other kids whispered, shocked. A Potter in Slytherin? A Potter has never been in any house other than Gryffindor. Everyone stared as he went, questioning everything.

"You can stand next to me," Scorpius exclaimed.

"Thank you," he muttered to the ground.

The last few kids were sorted. Then, Headmistress McGonagall went up to the podium.

"Hello, students. I am Headmistress McGonagall. I have a few announcements. First of all, we have a new caretaker, Apophis Flint. Second, Muggle Studies is mandatory for first-year students until further notice."

As soon, as she said that children started to protest. Albus didn't really mind. He had Muggleborns in his family and it was just for a year. He just wondered why they did it now instead of right after the war. He looked to Scorpius who was still smiling but looked thoughtful.

"Why do you think?" Albus asked quietly.

"I think it might not be the best idea, but I don't mind."

"Really?" Albus thought it would because of who his father was.

"Yeah. Wizards need to learn about Muggles and the world they are going to have to pretend to be a part of."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I'm not a Death Eater." He smiled.

"Of course," Albus said, liking the boy even more.

Headmistress McGonagall got the children calmed down and went on with her speech.

"It will be taught by Dalia Collins. Third, schedules will be a little different this year as we are trying something new. Now the feast."

Plates filled themselves and everyone started to eat. There were all kinds of food; chicken, roast beef, ham, turkey, pork chops, bacon, steak, and sausages. Also, there was Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, potatoes, macaroni and cheese, and many other types of food. Everyone ate until they were sick. The food disappeared and was replaced by desserts. Ice cream. Pies, cakes, tarts, and doughnuts were just a few.

After the feast, the prefects led their students to their rooms. Their prefect has black hair, dark, and a stern expression. He didn't look very nice. Not many kids talked as they followed him. The children stared at the portraits, the moving stairs, and the Slytherin Potter. Albus ignored them and talked to Scorpius.

"Not all Slytherins are bad. We aren't. That's proof," Scorpius told.

"I guess so," He shrugged.

"This is going to be great. We are at Hogwarts!" Scorpius cheered.

"Yeah!" Albus grinned.

They were led to the Slytherin common room. The common room used to a dungeon of sorts. It was under the Great Lake and it cast a green light on everything. It was a large stone room with more green lights on the wall and elaborate carvings, which of course were snakes. The whole place felt mysterious and ominous.

Then, they went to their separate dormitories. The rooms were also green with snakes. There were five beds and two windows. Albus and Scorpius shared a room along with Atlas Brimacombe, Zeke Farren, and Grayson Goyle. They didn't pay them any attention. All prepared for bed and laid down. Albus couldn't sleep and he lay awake

"I hope I don't regret going to Slytherin," He said to the stars. "I hope my family still loves me."

"They will," Scorpius whispered. "They are stupid otherwise."

"Thanks."

The next morning, the two got ready for school. Both showered, brushed their teeth, combed their hair, and put on their robes. Silently, they made it down to breakfast. Albus and Scorpius sat away from the others and talked.

"How soon should I expect a letter?" Albus asked.

"By dinner or breakfast tomorrow," Scorpius answered.

"I see." He pushed the eggs around on his plate.

"So...what's it like being the son of a hero?" Scorpius asked.

"Well, it's horrible really. Everyone stares, whispers, and expects you to do great things," He told.

"At least they expect great, not evil things," Scorpius replied.

"True," Albus paused. "What was your childhood like?"

"Very different from my father's and what others have probably imagined," He started. "It was filled with love. My parents loved each other and me. I was their little miracle. They didn't have me to carry on the Malfoy line, but as a symbol of their love."

"Wow." Albus stared wide-eyed. "That's sweet."

"Yeah." He smiled. "It wasn't perfect, but it was great."

Breakfast ended and they were sent to their first class. Flying lessons with Madam Hooch, who was so elderly at this point, they wondered how she still did her job. Slytherin and Gryffindor students stood and looked at her.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Everyone, stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up." She waited until everyone did so. "Stick out your hands out over the broomstick and say 'up'."

"Up!" They yelled.

Rose's broom sailed into her hand and so did Yann's. Both cheered. After a few more times, everyone had their broom except Albus. Frustrated, he tried again. He stared at it in desperation, trying to will it to move. Then, the teasing started.

"Oh Merlin's beard, how humiliating!" Polly Chapman said. "He really isn't like his father at all, is he?"

"Albus Potter, the Slytherin Squib," Karl Jenkins laughed.

"Okay. Children." Madam Hooch got them under control. "Time to fly."

Everyone, but Albus flew. It was miserable. Scorpius came down and tried to comfort him. It wasn't helpful. Albus felt horrible and humiliated. The class ended and both ran to their next one.

They walked into Potions and saw Professor Slughorn. He was fat, bald, with a silver mustache. He was writing on the blackboard. The boys stood there, unsure of what to do. Finally, they picked seats and the back. As other students arrived, they pulled out parchment and ink. Both stared and tried to ignore the quiet laughs from the other students. Albus also ignored Rose, who he could feel staring at him.

"I see everyone is here," Professor Slughorn turned around, smiling. "Today we will be learning how to cure boils. Write the instructions off the board, then gather what you will need. At the end of class, I will check it."

Scorpius and Albus quickly wrote down the notes and went the shelves to get what they would need. Scorpius spread it out on the small table and looked at the instructions. He picked up six snake fangs and added it to the mortar. While Scorpius looked at the other ingredients, Albus started to crush it up. The pair kept going back in forth until the end of class, being quiet and checking each other. Finally, it reached the end of the class and Professor Slughorn checked everyone. Most people got it right with one or two exceptions.

They cleaned up and waited for the bell. It rang and both went to Herbology. Professor Longbottom was at the board writing. It seemed there would be more notes. They were going to learn about a Spiky Bush. The other Slytherins and Hufflepuffs filed in and took their seats. Everyone quietly wrote the notes. Albus stared at his paper when he finished and avoided looking at the professor. Instead, he watched Scorpius write notes, whose handwriting was different than his. His was a scrawl with small lettering and hardly legible. Scorpius' was cursive with large lettering and neat. Everything was easy to read. A loud ringing interrupted his thoughts Scorpius and Albus headed down for lunch.

"There's no letter," Albus muttered, as he watched the other students opening letters, including Scorpius.

"I'm sorry," Scorpius said, not opening his letter.

"It's fine. What does yours say?"

"Um, are you sure?" Scorpius didn't want to upset his new friend.

"Yeah."

"Okay." He opened it and read the letter aloud. "'Dear Scorpius, congratulations on being sorted in Slytherin! We are so proud of you and know you will be great. Remember to smile and stay good. Love, Mum and Dad.'"

"That's really nice of them." Albus looked at his hands, wishing there was a letter in them.

The boys finished eating and went to their third period. It was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindors. The class was taught by Professor Duncan. He was an average looking man with brown hair, green eyes, and pale skin. The first lesson was learning how to treat werewolf bites. Albus thought of Bill and Remus. Anyone infected by werewolves wasn't treated like people. He ignored Rose throughout the class. It seemed to be longer than it was supposed to be, but it wasn't.

The bell rang and they went to their first Muggle Studies class. Neither was very excited, but they had to take it. The classroom was small and the curtains were open, lighting the room. Off by the door sat a desk, which was occupied by the professor. She was leaned over some papers and seemed frustrated. Albus gestured to the seat in front of her desk as it was close to the door. The boy nodded. Both sat and wait for the other students. They showed up and sat in random seats.

"Hey," the woman stood, "I am Professor Collins. Welcome to Muggle Studies. My apologies if you don't want to be here."

Albus decided that he liked her and smiled at Scorpius. The blond boy looked over and smiled as well. Maybe she wouldn't be that bad.

"As you are forced to be here, I plan on making the most of it. The current curriculum is outdated, so bear with me as I figure this out. To start out I will pass around this piece of notebook paper and this pencil," she held up things they have never seen before. One had lines and three holes, while the other was wooden. "Write down something you are interested in learning in this class next to your name." She handed it Albus.

He held both and stared. Feeling the stares of people, he tried to think quickly. He wrote the only thing he knew about Muggle Studies; electricity. He passed it over to Scorpius, who answered just as quickly as he had. He wrote down 'Muggle Potions'. Then he handed it to the Hufflepuff students three seats down. They went on passing until everyone has written something down. The professor got the list and started to read.

"Cars. That's a good one. Let's see. Electricity shows up a few times. Um, Muggle Potions. That can mean a few things. Chemistry, cooking, baking. We might do all of the above. Oh. This one is my favorite. 'How to kill the Mudbloods.' Very classy. Nothing rude or prejudice about it. So...Mr. Goyle. That is twenty points from Slytherin and two weeks detention. Thanks for playing."

Some kids laughed.

"To start off we will say what we do know about Muggle and write it on the dry erase board."

Professor Collins walked over to the shiny board and grabbed a purple stick. She wrote Muggles on it and unlined.

"Who wants to write something first?"

A small Hufflepuff girl got out of her seat.

"Thank you. Ms. Kingston."

She was handed the marker and wrote on the board. It said, 'Disney'.

"Yes. Disney. Do you want to explain it to the rest of the class or shall I?" Professor Collins asked gently.

The girl shook her head and went back to her seat. Albus supposed everyone was nervous about this class. Having racist students there wasn't helping either.

"Walt Disney was a man who made animated movies. Moving drawings that looked like it was really happening. Similar to a portrait, but it is always the same. His company is also called Disney. It is worth millions and makes great movies. Maybe one day we will watch one. As a free day or something. Who's next?"

Only a few other things were added to the board; Ford, a car, iPod, has music on it, and WiFi, which was something called the Internet and had virtual libraries, and then guns. Things went pretty silent and not much was said. The bell rang and the kids left class quickly. He and Scorpius went down to the Great Hall, where Albus was disappointed again to see that he had no letter. Feeling disheartened, he went back to the common room. Luckily, he didn't have homework, so he could lie in bed and feel bad about himself. Finally, he fell asleep exhausted.

Albus was waked by something touching his face. He tried to push it away and felt feathers. An owl He shot up and saw the old family owl sitting there. Albus took the letter and gave it a payment. It flew out the open window. He opened the letter and read it.

'Dear Al,

Congratulations on Slytherin. We hope you make great friends and have a great time. Don't forget to meet Hagrid for tea this Friday.

Love,

Your parents.'

Smiling, Albus went and woke Scorpius.

"I got a letter!" He told.

"Really. What does it say?" He read it. "You should write them back. They will want to know how it's going."

"Sure. Have you written yours?"

"Not yet. Waiting to have a lot to talk about."

"When will that be?"

Scorpius met his friend's eager expression.

"Maybe we can in the morning. We have school."

"Okay."

Both laid down, but Albus was too happy to sleep. He got some parchment and a quill. The boy tried to think of what to write. Albus didn't want to tell them about the teasing. He didn't want to bother them with it, so he decided to write about Scorpius.

'Dear Mum and Dad,

Thanks for your letter. I will remember to meet with Hagrid. And I have made a great friend. Scorpius Malfoy. He has been good to me and helped me.

Love,

Albus.'

Scorpius woke as the sun was rising. He looked to his friend and saw that in his hand he had a piece of parchment. He smiled and shook his head. Pulling out the parchment, he wrote his own letter.

'Dear Dad and Mum,

I hope everything is great. My first day was great. I made a friend; Albus Potter. He is in Slytherin too and is great. He is also quiet and kind of nervous. The classes are wonderful. So are the teachers.

Love,

Scorpius.'

As he finished, Albus rolled over and opened his eyes. Both looked at each other and smiled. They got out of bed and put on their robes. The pair sent their letters off and headed to breakfast.

After breakfast, they went to their classes. The first period was Charms with Professor Flitwick. He was a short man with white hair. He was standing in a chair, waving his wand around. The students went to their seats and waited for class to start.

"Hello, students! Today we will be learning the levitation charm. It's Wingardium Leviosa. Watch carefully. The hand motions are tricky." He took a deep breath and carefully did the spell. "Wingardium Leviosa." He moved his wrist. "Swish and flick." The feather rose off the table and into the air.

Students started doing the spell. Scorpius and Rose's feathers flew first. Scorpius smiled and Rose glared at him. He didn't see her and looked over at Albus, who had yet to do the spell correctly. It was at that moment, the teasing started.

"Wow. It's just a simple spell. How can you not do it?" One girl said.

"Because he is the Slytherin Squib."

"He is nothing like his father."

"That is tragic."

During all of that, Rose stayed silent and stared at her desk. Albus tried to do the spell again and nothing happened. Scorpius stared at Albus, praying it would work. Finally, the feather rose a few inches before falling.

"Um, good job Mr. Potter. For homework, practice the spell."

The class ended and they headed to Transfiguration.

The pair walked in and saw a Gryffindor boy sitting in the front. Both headed to the back, hoping this class was better. It was taught by Professor Robertson. She was a tall, friendly-looking woman, however, she was loud and stern. As the rest of the class filed in, she stood by her desk, reading a thick book.

"Welcome to class. I am Professor Robertson. Before we start, I have things to go over. Transfiguration is very hard so no funny business is tolerated. Anyone caught misbehaving will be sent to detention and points will be taken away. Any questions?" She was meet with silence. "Today we will be learning the alphabet and the finer details of Transfiguration. Pull some parchment and some ink. There will be a lot of notes."

The class went by terribly slow and it was exhausting. Albus was already done with school and wanted to go home, but he feared that going home would be similar to here.

Lunch was horrible also. No one would sit near them and stared at them the whole time. They ate quickly and ran to Defense Against the Dark Arts. That seemed to be there life at Hogwarts, running and avoiding people. Every class went by slowly and they were exhausted. Things got even more unbearable during Muggle Studies on Wednesday.

"I looked over the list and made a curriculum for this year. The plan is just to learn basics so if you have to you can go into the Muggle World unnoticed."

"Potter needs to. He is a Squib after all. Maybe his Death Eater friend can go to," Goyle whispered to his friend.

"Wow. Mr. Goyle. Are you gracing us with your intelligence again? That is fifty points from Slytherin and I will have someone take you to the office to see the Headmistress. Bullying will not be tolerated in my class." The new caretaker walked by and the teacher got his attention. He was a tall man with tan skin, light eyes, long dirty black hair, and was dressed in shabby clothing. "Oh, Mr. Flint, can you escort Mr. Goyle to the office."

"Of course," He said in a thick accent.

"Alright. For today and tomorrow, we will be talking about Muggle clothing. Please write down the notes that I have written on the whiteboard."

The first section was trousers; jeans, dress trousers, khakis, shorts, and capris. Then shirts; polo, blouse, dress shirt, casual dress shirt, tee-shirts, buttons up, henley, and sweaters. Lastly, there were shoes; sneakers, heels, boots, slip-on shoes, work shoes, dress shoes, and flip-flops. It was a lot and hard to think about without something to look at.

After Muggle Studies, they headed to the Great Hall to eat dinner. Letters came. Albus and Scorpius got one. Both ripped into theirs and read them. Scorpius was smiling, but Albus wasn't. He looked sick.

"What does it say?" Scorpius asked.

"Nothing."

"Come on."

"I wrote about you," Albus whispered.

"I can take it."

"Okay. 'Dear Albus, We are glad to hear you have a friend, but we are concerned. The Malfoys have a bad reputation. Be careful. How are your classes going? We are doing fine, but Lily is pestering us about Hogwarts. She would love to hear some things. Love, Your Parents.'"

"I see. They have a good point." He shrugged.

"But they are wrong about you. What does your letter say?"

"'Dear Scorpius, we are happy to hear that school is going great and that you have a friend. Have fun and we love you. Love, Mum, and Dad.'" Scorpius put it down.

"Are you going to write them back?"

"Sure. Are you?"

"I don't think so."

"Okay."

Lunch ended and they prepared for Astronomy. Both were not excited for the class, it was with Ravenclaw students and it was at midnight. Scorpius and Albus went to the Astronomy tower with their telescopes. Again, they sat in the back and waited. They appeared to be early because even the teacher wasn't there.

"Today has been interesting," Scorpius started.

"I guess so," Albus shrugged.

"What do you think about Professor Collins?"

"I like her. She seems cool."

"I agree. I loved the lesson. Didn't you?"

"Yeah, it is pretty useful information. The Muggle World is vastly different from ours."

"It is and I find it fascinating. I grew up in a family that didn't know a lot about Muggles."

"Makes sense."

"How so?" Scorpius worried what his friend would say.

"Your parents are pure-blooded and never had to be in the Muggle World. My father did, but it was kind of terrible so he doesn't talk about it. Aunt 'Mione was, but she left it behind a long time ago. You miss a lot in thirty-some years."

"I see. There are just so many differences, even in what they write with. Notebook paper and pencils. She always hands those out. What else do you think we will have to carry?"

"I have no idea. We are learning about clothes. Maybe we will have to dress up as Muggles."

"That would be fun. Hopefully, we can go on a field trip and try to fit in."

"Maybe, but they might be afraid of us messing up. It might be a higher up thing. That is if we take it next year."

"I don't see why not?" A girl said, startling them. "Your lot needs it."

Both looked down again and went silent. The professor walked in right after. She was tall with a round face. Her eyes, hair, and skin were dark. She wore navy blue robes. As she moved some papers around on her desk, other students started to come in and get ready.

"I am Professor Sinistra. Does everyone have what they need?"

The children nodded.

"Well, then, come on. We don't have much time. This class is only once a week," she said, "Line up near the window and set up your telescopes. Tonight we will be looking at the stars and going over constellations."

That was what they did for an hour. Albus tried not to fall asleep as he looked at the stars. He was glad that it was only once a week. If he had to stand there, looking at the sky for hours, he would go insane. The class ended and went slowly made his way to his dormitory. With closed eyes, he put on his pajamas and fell into bed.

The next morning, he was exhausted. He went to his classes; Charms, Transfiguration, DADA, and History. He decided that Thursday was his least favorite day. He was tired, frustrated, upset, and bored. History was the worst. It was the last period of the day. He was completely done with everything. Every little thing angered Albus. The stares, the notes, the tapping, and the whole bloody school.

The only thing that kept him from going into a rage was Scorpius. Every once in a while, he would pat Albus on the arm and smile at him. He was so hard to be mad when looking at his innocent and hopeful face. Albus didn't understand how he did it. How was he so positive?

After dinner, both went to bed early. Albus wished he could sleep the year away. He was well-rested the next morning. He got ready for school and walked to Potions with Scorpius. They sat down in their seats. The class was pretty easy that day. They were still working on the same potions. Everyone was pretty good at it, but the professor wanted to be sure. Professor Slughorn walked around and watched as the children.

"Good work, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy," he whispered to them.

The boys beamed at the compliment.

Their joy didn't last long, because as soon as the professor went to the other side of the room, Albus felt a piece of parchment hit him in the back of the head. He cringed like it had hurt him badly. It sat on his desk and seemed to sneer at him. Carefully, with the tip of his finger, he nudged it off his desk. A few minutes later, another one was thrown, but instead, it hit Scorpius. Being braver than Albus, he picked up and opened it up. It said, 'Go away, Death Eater.' Scorpius wadded it back up, put it in his bag, and sat straighter. Albus just stared in wonder at the boy.

After Potions, Scorpius and Albus went to Herbology. They were going to learn how to handle Spiky Bushes today and attempt to perform Incendio. Of course, Albus had trouble doing it and almost ended up with spikes in his arms.

Luckily, Scorpius came to the rescue. As he did, kids laughed and Albus stared at the floor. He glanced at Professor Longbottom, who looked uncomfortable and concerned. The black-haired boy went back to staring, not meeting anyone's eye.

Lunch passed quickly and they went to Defense Against the Dark Arts where they were still learning about werewolves. After that, they headed off to Muggle Studies.

"We have been talking about clothes. I have brought some in so you guys can see them, feel them, and such."

A Hufflepuff boy raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"Are you American?" He blurted out.

"Yes."

"Does that mean you went to Ilvermorny?"

"I did. I was in Pukwudgie. My life isn't important. You won't be tested on that at the end of the year," she said, setting the clothes on the desk in the back.

The Slytherin girl looked at it in disgust and with two fingers handed them over to the boy next to here. Most of the Slytherin students reacted the same way. The Hufflepuffs were a little more open-minded. They touched them, held them up, and asked questions.

"This is jeans, right?"

"Yes."

"Boys or girls."

"The dark ones are boys. The light ones with the jewels are girls."

"Will we have to wear this stuff?"

"I was hoping so, as a project grade."

The Slytherin students glared, while the Hufflepuffs were lost in thought. Scorpius beamed and Albus sighed. Finally, they looked at the clothes. Scorpius kept looking at them.

The bell rang and the pair quickly packed up and tried to escape. Slytherin students caught up with them. Grayson Goyle and his friends, Victor Runcorn and Patrick Davis, stole their bags and dumped them out. Albus and Scorpius just stood there, staring at the floor

"You both are freaks. A disgrace to the wizarding world," Goyle sneered, before walking off.

They gathered their things as the other students left. Annabelle Kingston stopped for a second, spotted the disgusted Slytherin girl, and ran off. Sighing, they went back to their dormitory.

"Aren't you supposed to have tea with Hagrid this afternoon?" Scorpius asked when Albus went to take off his robes.

"Ugh. Right. I forgot. I don't really want to go."

"It might be good for you," Scorpius said, shrugging. "I'll go with you if it helps."

"Thanks. Let's go."

 _Author's Note: I hope all of you enjoy the changes I made to 'Harry Pott and the Cursed Child'._


	3. Chapter 3: Conflict

CHAPTER 3: Conflict

Hagrid's hut was by the edge of the Forbidden Forest. It was small and cozy looking. Albus looked over and saw that Scorpius was looking at his hands, which was playing with the hem of his robes, picking at the seam.

They made it to the hut and looked at each other. They shrugged and Albus knocked on the door. Hagrid opened it with a huge smile on his face. It fell when he saw Scorpius.

"Hey, Al. Um, you are Scorpius Malfoy." It wasn't really a question.

"Yes. And you are Hagrid. Pleased to meet you," Scorpius said, smiling.

"Um," Hagrid stared at him with wide eyes, "you too. Come in."

"Thank you," Scorpius said pleasantly.

"Thanks," Albus muttered.

They walked in to see that Hagrid had already made tea and cakes. Both sat and tried some. The tea was alright, but the cakes were rock hard. Scorpius tried soaking them in the tea, but it was no use.

"The tea is good," the blond said, breaking the silence.

"Thank ya," Hagrid said, smiling.

"Your welcome. So...you teacher Care of Magical Creatures?" Scorpius took control of the conversation.

"Yeah. I am tellin' them about Manticores. Course, they won't let me bring some in. They aren't dangerous."

"They aren't?" Scorpius asked, interested.

"No. They have a human head, a lion's body, and a scorpion tail. Their skin can repel charms. Them beasts are rare and from Greece."

"Greece? Have you seen one?"

"Course I have. Got them to mate with a fire crab and made a blast-ended-skrewt. I will teach about them both too."

"Amazing."

"Enough about my class. If ya want to know more, take the class. How are ya classes goin'?"

"Good. Muggle Studies is pretty good, isn't it Albus?" Scorpius turned towards Albus, who was staring at his tea.

"Um, yes. We are learning about Muggle clothing."

"That's good. So you likin' school?"

"It's fine."

"Everyone treatin' ta alright."

"Sure."

"How's flyin' lessons. Ta daddy loved it."

"Okay," Albus cut him off, "Not a fan, though."

"Give it time. Ya will be flyin' like ya daddy in no time."

"Maybe I don't want to!" Albus said, loudly.

"What?" Hagrid asked with wide eyes, looking hurt.

"I'm sorry. I...I'm not my dad. I don't want to be. I'm Albus."

"Oh." Hagrid looked down at his cup of tea.

"Well, it's probably time to go," Scorpius jumped in. "We can't be out past curfew. It was nice meeting you, Hagrid. Thank you for the tea and cakes."

"Welcome. Bye."

"Goodbye, sir."

Scorpius grabbed Albus' sleeve and lead him out of the hut. They got a good way before Scorpius talked.

"What was that? You didn't need to yell."

"I know," he huffed, "I just hate being compared to my dad. I'm not him and no matter how hard I try, I never will be. I want people to see me as my own person. Not Harry Potter 2.0."

"That is understandable. I don't want to be seen as the son of a Death Eater or a Death Eater myself. We are given things in life and you just have to go with it," Scorpius said, hoping to comfort his friend.

"How?"

"Be unapologetically you. Don't let them define you. Be Albus, even if it disappoints people or if it's hard. Make your own path. You are the Slytherin Potter. I am a Kind Malfoy." The boy's grey eyes were filled with fire and determination.

"Okay. I will."

It was easy to feel comforted and strong on the weekend. Scorpius and Albus hid out in their dormitory and worked on some magic. Scorpius was trying to help Albus with the charms and spells. It took most of the weekend for the boy to master them, but he did.

"Wingardium Leviosa," Albus said slowly and did the hand movement.

The pencil rose up and almost touched the ceiling. Both started to cheer. The boys hopped off their beds, hugged each other, and jumped around. Realizing they probably look ridiculous, they parted.

"Good job, Albus."

"Thanks."

Things got rough when they went to Potions on Monday. They were moving on to the Forgetfulness Potion. The ingredients needed to be Lethe River Water, mistletoe berries, and Valerian sprigs. They wrote down the instructions and started working. Again, notes were thrown at them. Albus stayed strong and didn't let them see they were bothering him. He kept his head held high, but inside he was hurting.

The next class was similar. The Hufflepuffs avoided them and the Slytherins were horrible to them. It didn't help that Professor Longbottom was there and kept shooting Albus concerned gazes. Again, he tried to be strong.

He couldn't at lunch. He ended up breaking down in the corridor. Scorpius wrapped an arm around his shoulders and comforted him. Albus sat there and cried. It was halfway through lunch went he stopped.

"You okay?" Scorpius asked.

"Yeah. I'm fine," Albus said, wiping his face.

"What can I do?"

"Nothing. I'm sorry I cried. I guess I am a weak baby."

"No!" Scorpius said aggressively, surprising Albus. "You aren't."

"Then, why did I cry like a baby? You handle this stuff just fine."

"That is because I am used to it. Wizards have hated me since the day I was born. Growing up, I was rarely allowed to leave the house in fear that someone would try to hurt me. Even my grandfather isn't very sure about me. He thinks I am weak and fears that I will become a 'muggle loving blood traitor.' You aren't used to people reacting to you that way. As much as you hate people loving you for just being a Potter, you are used it. It's all you've ever known. You aren't used to people hating you and being mean to you." Scorpius finished his speech.

"I see. Thank you, Scorpius. I don't know what I would do without you."

"Well, don't think about it, because I'm here. Now, why don't we have a quick lunch? We only have fifteen minutes."

"We can manage it."

They did manage it and made it to Defense Against the Dark Arts on time. They were still learning about werewolves. They are learned how to treat bites, what spells to use on them, and how to hide from them. This week appeared to be less on actual defense. Professor Duncan started talking about the moon phases and what it does to the wolf.

The bell rang and the pair made their way to Muggle Studies. Due to the questions, the Hufflepuffs asked, they were learning the difference in the clothing of gender. Men's trousers were straight-legged, with deep pockets, and minimum designs. Women's trousers were meant to hug their curves, with small pockets, and lots of designs. Women's jeans also tended to have embroidery, patches, and tears. The Slytherin girls, of course, made comments. Again she had pairs of jeans and passed them around. This time there was also khakis, with were tan and for slightly informal occasions, and dress pants. Again, Scorpius stared at them and studied them.

"Wednesday we will move on to shirts, and dresses and skirts, and then shoes. Have a good day students," She said as the bell rang.

As Scorpius and Albus were leaving, their things were dumped out again, and like Friday, no one helped them. Albus angrily picked up his things and stormed off to the dormitory. Scorpius ran off after him. Neither said anything as they threw their stuff down and went down to the Great Lake.

"The lake is kind of nice," Scorpius said.

"It is, isn't. There is something calming about it."

"Yeah."

Apparently, the world hated them both. A group of Gryffindors showed up, laughing. In the middle of them, was James Sirius Potter. Albus and Scorpius tried to ignore them, but James didn't want to.

"Hey, Al," He called, running over. "How's it going?"

"Fine," Albus mumbled.

"So this is your friend Malfoy."

James squatted down behind them and put a hand on each of their shoulders.

"His name is Scorpius." Albus glared at his brother.

"Okay. Not corrupting my brother, are you?" He asked, smiling.

"No, he isn't!" Albus snapped. "He is great."

"Woah." James let go of their shoulders and held his hands up. "I didn't say he wasn't. I was just teasing. Calm down."

"Whatever."

"Hey, James. Come on, before they infect you." A boy called.

"Okay," he called back. "Gotta go. See you, Al."

The boy got up and ran to his friends.

"Let's go back to the dormitory."

"Alright."

Both headed up to their room and got a house-elf to get them some food. They laid there and talked about many things.

"What is your favourite colour?" Scorpius asked.

"Um, I like green."

"Good thing your Slytherin then," He laughed. "Mine is blue. Any shade of blue really. But, if I had to pick, I guess light blue."

"Blue. Interesting."

"Yeah, Mom says I look great in blue."

"I can see that."

"What is your favourite subject?"

"Potions. I have always loved it, like my father, but Muggle Studies is pretty interesting. You?"

"I think Muggle Studies, but that is because the teacher is so great. And I don't have to use magic."

"You'll great better," Scorpius told him.

"When!" Albus sighed.

"I don't know."

"Do you like Quidditch?"

"Not really. My father loves it, but I am more a book person."

"I'm not good with books or sports. What do you think I am good at?"

Scorpius didn't get the chance to answer. Their roommates walked back in and they went quiet. They hated talking in front of people, afraid it would make them tease them more. Both got ready for bed and laid down. Albus fell asleep quickly. Scorpius waited until he was sure and pulled the paper and a pencil out.

'Dear Mum and Dad,

Sorry I have written in a while. I can't really write in front of Albus. He and his family aren't exactly seeing eye to eye on things. The classes are going well. I like Potions and surprisingly Muggle Studies. I am writing to you with Muggle parchment, or notebook paper, and with a pencil. It is pretty great. I will send you some. The pink thing on the end is an eraser, so if you mess up you can fix it. Right now we are learning about clothes. It is all so interesting. Now enough about school, how are you two? I hope you both aren't too lonely. I miss you so much.

Love,

Scorpius.'

He put it in his bag and was going to send it off at some point. Then, he laid down and fell asleep. Both woke up the next morning and headed to Charms. They were learning Lumos that week. It went about the same as with Wingardium Leviosa. After Charms, they went to Transfiguration and learned more about proportions went it came to Transfiguration. You can't make something out of nothing. Everything comes from something. There is a practicality to it. A human can turn into certain animals, but not large ones, like a whale. After lunch, they went to Defense Against the Dark Arts. The boys learned about the transformation itself. It sounded pretty disgusting and painful. Their last class was History, which was still boring.

The next few weeks went on the same way. Other students teased them, they tried their best to ignore them. Scorpius comforted Albus, and they quietly went through the motions. Scorpius wrote letters to his parents in secret, trying not to upset Albus. Albus knew what he was doing, but didn't call him out on it. He still didn't want to owl his parents. He didn't want to argue with them and be different.

September turned in October. It was turning out to be an interesting month. The first week Headmistress McGonagall had an announcement. She had a serious and dejected facial expression. She silenced the students and read off a piece of parchment.

"I am sad to say this, but it appears Hagrid will not be able to teach. It is unknown when he will return. His replacement is Scarlet Haddock."

A woman stood up and nodded at the students. She had dark red hair, pale skin, and odd green eyes. She was dressed in green, shimmery robes. Her nails were long and painted black.

"Thank you." She sat down.

"What do you suppose happened to Hagrid?" Scorpius whispered.

"I have no idea."

"I hope he is okay."

"Me too."

Later that week, Albus decided not to go to dinner that night. He went to the dormitory and tried to calm down. Scorpius thought of going after him but decided that he needed time alone. The next morning they heard the news from Headmistress McGonagall.

"I have been notified that something was stolen last night during dinner. It was a gold necklace with an engraving. Please return today and there will be no punishment. If not, then children will be searched and the culprit will be expelled from Hogwarts. Thank you." She sat down.

Albus looked at Scorpius, who shrugged. Both headed to Potions class. They sat down in their seats and started to write notes about some of the ingredients they will be using for their next potions. The disgusted Slytherin girl, Claudia Mallory, started to talk.

"I wonder who took the necklace the Headmistress was talking about. I have two ideas," She whispered.

As class ended, she skipped up to the professor and pointed at the two boys.

"Mr. Potter, I need you to stay after class."

Both froze.

"Go to your next class, Mr. Malfoy."

Albus nodded at Scorpius and he left.

"Come with me. We are going to see Headmistress McGonagall."

"Okay, sir."

They made it to the griffin guarding the office. Slughorn fumbled in trying to remember the password, so he just knocked. The Headmistress let them in. She gestured for both to sit. Professor Slughorn did, but Albus didn't.

"What can I do for you?"

"I was told by another student that Albus was seen stealing the necklace you are talking about."

"I see. By whom?"

"Um, well." The man started.

"Claudia Mallory. She hates me and has had it out for me all year."

"Well, okay. I have to ask. Is there anything that can incriminate you that I need to know?"

"I wasn't at the feast. I went back to the dormitory to rest."

"Are there any witnesses?"

"I suppose the portrait. Who did the necklace belong to?"

"A Ravenclaw student. I will ask the portrait about this. You may go to class now."

"Thank you, Headmistress," Albus said, curtly, before turning and leaving.

He walked into Herbology and ignored everyone whispering. He told Scorpius what happened. For the first time, he seemed angry.

"That is unfair," he hissed. "She is a horrible little girl."

"I know. It will be sorted later."

Lunch wasn't much better. Albus got a letter. Groaning, he opened it up. Scorpius glanced at his friend and prayed it was good.

'Dear Al,

We were checking to see if you were okay. We haven't heard from you in a few weeks. Is it because of what we said about Scorpius? We didn't mean to upset you. Also, we heard you weren't be treated well at school. Try to hang in there and owl us if you need anything or anyone to talk to.

Love,

Your Parents.'

He pulled parchment and ink out of his bag. He wrote a response to their letter.

'Dear Parents,

I am fine. Not all kids are nice. I just haven't had anything interesting to say. Its school, meaning it's kind of boring. At least Scorpius is there, who is my best friend. I can talk to him.

Love,

Albus.'

"Are you okay?" Scorpius asked.

"Yeah, um, I know you get letters from your parents."

"Really? Oh."

"Yeah. Why don't you write back and we can take it to the owlery."

"Alright."

It didn't take long for him to write back and both headed to send their letters. Then, they went to their next class, Transfiguration. The other students whispered and Albus ignored them. He knew what they were saying today. The professor gave them an essay to write about werewolves.

Muggle Studies was pretty good. They had learned about all the types of clothing, styles, and what they were appropriate for. Now they were going to learn about hairstyles, accessories, and things you added to an outfit.

"Now, for the project. You are to put together a Muggle outfit and wear it during this class. For extra points, you can wear it all day."

"Who would want to do that?" Mallory sneered.

"Someone who is failing my class. Any more questions?"

She was meet with silence.

"Okay. Good. Here is how you will be graded." She passed out papers that had strong, neat writing on it.

The school day ended and both went to bed and fell asleep. The next morning, Albus and Scorpius headed down to breakfast. It was almost over when McGonagall stood up.

"Listen up, students. Yesterday I was given some suggestions and they have been investigated. They were mistaken. The culprit has not been found or the necklace. Please, only give truthful or helpful information. Thank you."

It took a few days for things to die down. People were blaming each other and things got troublesome. Soon everyone came to the conclusion that she just lost the necklace. The week ended and the students got to relax and think about other things. Scorpius was thinking about Halloween.

"Are you excited for Halloween?" He asked Albus.

"I guess. They will be a feast, large pumpkins, bats, and stuff like that?"

"It makes me wonder about Muggle Halloween. We can ask Professor Collins Monday."

"Yeah."

"What do you know about Muggle Halloween?"

"Not much. Something about candy and costumes. Do you know anything?"

"Just something I found in an old book. In the beginning, people wore masks so they could hide from Samhain. It also told that the veil between this life and is the next is thinner. It is supposedly an American holiday, which isn't fair. In the 1950s, kids dressed up as anything they wanted and go from house to house, getting candy. It sounds like so much fun, doesn't it?"

"Surprisingly, it does. You wear masks?" Albus looked up, smiling.

"Yeah. For one night you get to dress up…"

"…and be anything you want." The dark-haired boy got a faraway look in his eyes.

"I suppose."

"Why don't we have our own little party? We could dress up and eat candy," Albus asked.

"Just us two?"

"Well, no one else would show up. It could be fun."

"That's a great idea!"

"Where could we do it? We can't show up at the feast in costumes. We would be laughed at," Albus said

"And the common room might not work…how about the Room of Requirement?"

"That's great! You are a genius, Scorpius." He smiled, but it fell. "But how do we find it?"

"Well, it appears when someone is in need of it. I guess we walk around. Not ideal, but it could work.

"Yeah. Okay. When should we have the party?"

"Maybe during the feast?" He suggested.

"And pray that nothing else goes missing."

"Yeah. What do we need at the party?"

"Well, the room is equipped with whatever we need. So I guess we write it down and keep it in mind."

"I got parchment and a quill. What do we need first?" Albus laid on his stomach, ready to write.

"First, we need a long table with various foods. Like what Hogwarts would have. Second, we need decorations, like fake cobwebs, bats, and things like that. Third, is the music. I don't know any Halloween music. Then, costumes. But I don't know what those would look like." Scorpius frowned.

"We definitely need Professor Collins' help."

"Yes. Do we find her now? She should be in her office."

"Okay. Let's go."

The boys made their way to the Muggle Studies classroom. Slowly, they walked in and saw the professor. She was sitting at her desk, hunched over some papers. Both stood there until the professor looked up.

"Can I help you with something?"

"We just had some questions about Muggle Halloween," Scorpius started. "We want to know about music, costumes, candy, and decorations."

"Alright. Did you want me to show you pictures or bring something in?" Professor Collins wondered.

"Maybe bring something in. We were...um...kind of throwing a Muggle Halloween party." Scorpius told.

"Where are you two having it? You can have it in here if you want."

"No. We...wanted to avoid people," Albus told. "So we are having it in the Room of Requirement. If that's alright."

"Yeah, it's fine. The room is hard to find."

"We know."

"Well, good luck. If you can't find it, my door is always open. I'll have things for you two next Saturday. Is there anything you would want to dress up as?"

"Not really," Scorpius looked at Albus. "Just typical Muggle Halloween costumes."

"Alright."

"Thank you, Professor."

"No problem. See you both Monday."

"See you."

Classes seemed better Monday. Scorpius and Albus were excited and thought about their Halloween party. They sat in Potions class and whispered to each other. Both would make suggestions and write it down on the paper for the room. Herbology went well also. No one seemed to want to bully them today. The rest of the day was like that. Muggle Studies was interesting also.

"I will be teaching more about styles and how to put an outfit. You don't have to write notes. I have printed off some for you." She walked around and passed it out.

"I have added many types, some are a little abnormal, but still fun. I will start with those first. The one more is Western."

"Western? As in the western hemisphere?" A nerdy looking Hufflepuff asked,

"No. As in American Cowboys." She smiled.

"So weird freaks," Goyle said.

"No." She hit the bell on her desk. "Thanks for playing. I am talking about men who moved away from cities to live out in the middle of nowhere in Western America. They would ride over plains, herding cattle, and wild horses. The sun glaring down on them as they worked hard. There were gun-slinging, chases, and fights with the Natives. Out there, there were no rules. Only them and the wilderness." She finished.

"Wow," Scorpius said in awe.

"Yeah. I am going to show you what they wore. I would show a video, but Muggle technology doesn't work here, so I brought some people instead."

A man walked in. He was tall and strong looking. Scorpius studied his outfit. He was wearing jeans, some type of boot, and a long sleeve shirt. Albus watched his amazement and smiled.

"This is what a cowboy wore. Blue jeans, cowboy boots, a long sleeve shirt, a leather vest and belt, and a cowboy hat. Any questions?"

Scorpius found himself raising his hand for the first time since the school year started. Professor Collins smiled and nodded.

"And you can buy an outfit like this now?" Scorpius asked quietly.

"Yes. There are western stores that still sell this. Many Americans in the south and southwest still dress like this."

"Amazing," Scorpius mumbled.

"The next style is what pirates wear."

"Pirates?" A Slytherin asked. "Aren't they thieves?"

"Sort of. They ride across the waves in ships. There are captains and his crew. They discover new places, take over other ships, and sometimes save people. They take stuff once they have taken over the ship. Pirates wear a loose-fitting white shirt, dark pants, tall boots, and a pirate hat. It is kind of similar to a cowboy."

Another man walked out in a pirate outfit. He had on what she told them with a vest, a long coat, a bandana around his head, with a pirate hat, and many rings.

Albus stared and decided that he liked that one. It was like the cowboy, but more mysterious and darker. Instead of browns and tans, it was black.

Next, she went over more traditional ones, like the preppy girl, the sporty people, and gangster. No more came in wearing it and even the teacher admitted she didn't like these so much, but they were important to know. The class ended and they left.

The rest of the week was great. No one messed with them, classes were easier, and they thought about Halloween. It was easy for them to ignore everyone when they were so deep into planning. Saturday came and both headed to Professor Collins' class.

"Where are you going?" Someone said.

"None of your business, Rose." Albus kept walking.

"Hey! Listen to me. Both of you are up to something. Don't do something wrong." Rose chased after them.

"Wrong?"Albus stopped. "Why do you think we are up to something? Because we are Slytherins."

"No," She lied. "Just-um…"

"That is what I thought. Now leave me alone."

"Fine!" She turned and stomped off.

"Let's go," Scorpius said, grabbing Albus' sleeve.

"Alright."

Scorpius and Albus walked into the classroom. Professor Collins was standing there with boxes. Behind her, there were many instruments. She smiled and waved them over.

"Come on. This is great. I hope you love it. Here is some Muggle candy." She handed them the small box. "I would wait until Halloween to try it."

"We will. Can we open it?" Scorpius said.

"Oh. Yes."

Inside there were various Muggle candies; Chocolate buttons, Flake, Black Jack, Wine Gums, Jelly Babies, Malteasers, and Sherbet Foundation. The boys decided it was a good idea to wait.

"There are decorations in this one. I'm not sure if you will need them."

"Thank you."

They opened the box and dug through it. There were cobwebs to put on the walls, a tablecloth with various cartoon creatures, fake spiders, and a big fake skull with designs all over.

"I brought these instruments to play Halloween music. I can't them to sing and I can't, so I apologize."

"It's fine."

It played many songs. Some were haunting, some upbeat, and some were funny sounding. Both boys loved it and thanked her again.

"Lastly, costumes. I don't know what you are doing for your project, so I hope this won't mess anything up."

"Ok."

She pulled out the costumes from the box. One was a cowboy and one was a pirate. Both boys beamed at them and felt excitement and joy.

"Thank you!" Both yelled.

"Your welcome," She laughed.

Scorpius and Albus couldn't wait until Halloween. They were giddy all weekend. All they could do was talk about their party. They thought about it hoped it would be perfect. The only problem they were having was finding the Room of Requirement. The boys walked the halls and looked for it. Albus even thought of owling his dad. Scorpius considered it as well but felt he wouldn't help. So, both headed to the library to look up things about the rooms. They looked in all of the Hogwarts history books. Nowhere did it tell where the room was, just how to get it to appear.

"I guess we just have to go back to Plan A," Albus said.

"So, we are supposed to just walk around and hope we find it," Scorpius replied.

"I guess so."

"Why won't it show up?" Albus threw his hands up in the air.

"I don't know, but I hope it does."

"Yeah, we have two more days to find it."

Despite the fact that they couldn't find the Room, they remained excited and couldn't wait. Scorpius was sure that everything would work out and Albus couldn't help but feel the same. Monday came and it went by slowly for the two boys.

Potions was hard and the boys couldn't focus. They ended up messing up their potions, but luckily Scorpius managed to fix it. In Herbology, the boys jumped around and tried to do their work quickly. Professor Longbottom was glad to see them in a good mood. Defense Against the Dark Arts was great also. Then, Muggle Studies.

"We have finished going over clothing, types of clothing, and what they are appropriate for. Also, accessories, hairstyles, and extras. Now, I want you to start deciding what style you will want,' she finished. "I will meet up with everyone in the following days. The project will be due next Wednesday. You will have to wear it for this class, and as I previously said, if you are failing you can wear it the whole day."

Albus stared at his paper and tried to think of what to do. He was dressing as a pirate for Halloween, so he didn't want to do that for the project. He wanted it to be great and to reflect his personality. The problem was he didn't really know who he was. Glancing over, he saw Scorpius was having a similar problem.

"What are you thinking so far?" Albus asked Scorpius.

"I don't know. I am trying to think of my personality, but it is hard to list your own traits," Scorpius said.

"I know right. What should we do?"

"Um, let's trade papers and write the traits of the others," he suggested.

"Alright."

Albus handed him my paper and grabbed his. The black-haired boy sat and thought about what he liked about Scorpius. He was always smiling, was optimistic, smart, and helpful. He came from a family of wealth and sophistication, but he was almost dorky and awkward. Looking through our notes, he decided that his outfit could be a preppy hipster kind of thing.

"All done," Scorpius said.

They traded papers and Albus read over his. It said, 'dark', 'mysterious', 'quiet', 'different', 'rebellious', 'independent', 'son of a hero', 'big family', and 'special'. Albus stared at the paper and was touched by some of the things he put. He was happy to know that Scorpius thought he was special. Albus was given the Greaser/Bad boy style.

Smiling, he started listing what he would need; a leather jacket, a graphic band tee, ripped jeans, combat boots, fake earrings, tattoos, and big rings. Scorpius thought of what he would need; a sweater, a button-up shirt, skinny jeans, nice shoes, a beanie, wide-brimmed glasses, and some bracelets. The bell rang and both left class. The two-headed down to the lake to do some homework and talk about their outfits.

"So I'm a bad boy," Albus smiled.

"That was the best I could come up with. It is hard to match them to our personality and we don't know each other that well."

"True."

"And you think I am a preppy hipster," Scorpius smiled widely.

"Yeah. I mean the preppy is for coming from a rich family, then you are smart but different than what people expect, so preppy hipster," Albus explained.

"Nice. Very thought out."

"Yeah, well I am smart at times," Albus held his chin high in mock arrogance.

"After we finish our homework and eat, we could try to look for the Room again."

"I don't know. I don't if it will show. Let's just hope it does tomorrow when we need it," Albus shrugged.

"When we need it…" Scorpius trailed off. "Albus you're a genius!"

"What? How?" Albus looked at his smiling friend.

"When we need it. We can't find it because we don't need it now." He held his arms out.

"Oh, right! Ugh, we should have known that," Albus groaned.

"So, we can't look for it now. We will have to during the feast."

"Okay. So that settles that. But, one question, how will we get Muggle clothing?"

"I don't know. I wonder if the teacher plans on bringing in. Maybe that is why she has to talk to us, you know other than to check we are doing it right," Scorpius thought.

"Maybe. We will have to ask Wednesday."

The boys finished their work and headed to the Great Hall for dinner. Over dinner, they talked about other things. Favorite food, drinks, desserts, and things like that. Albus liked the chicken but hated turkey. He didn't like much other than water and loved chocolate. Scorpius liked any meat, but fish. The thought made the boy want to puke. He liked tea and any kind of candy but loved Pepper Imps. Dinner time at their house was vastly different. At Albus' house, it was a loud affair, like most things. At Scorpius' house, it was quiet and no one really talked.

After dinner, both boys headed up to their dorms. Their roommates were already there but didn't pay them any attention. Atlas and Zeke were quiet and didn't bother much, but Goyle wasn't. Apparently, he only wanted to bully them outside and with his friends. That was fine by Albus and Scorpius. The pair got ready for bed and laid down.


	4. Chapter 4: The Halloween Party

**CHAPTER 4: The Halloween Party**

After classes ended the next day, Albus and Scorpius got their packages and went searching for the Room of Requirement. They went down endless halls and finally ended up on the seventh floor. They walked down the hall and nothing happened. Both were getting tired and frustrated.

"We just have to keep looking," Scorpius said, laying a hand on Albus' shoulder.

"Looking for what?" A familiar voice said.

"Rose!" Albus turned and walked down the hall and stood in front of her. Scorpius followed, thinking of the Halloween party. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing." She crossed her arms.

"It's none of your concern," he snapped at her.

"Of course it is. I am your cousin and we used to be friends!"

"Yeah, until I got sorted in Slytherin. You couldn't stand the thought."

"Of course not. They're evil! And your friends with the enemy. A Malfoy!"

"Don't talk about Scorpius like that!" Albus yelled. "He is my friend and the only nice person in this entire school."

"How can you say that?"

"Like this. Scorpius is my best friend and he has been here for me all year. Don't ever say anything like that again or else."

"Or else what?" She yelled back.

"I'll hurt you," he said in a low, dangerous voice.

The statement hung in the air. All that was heard was gasping from the two parties. Finally, Scorpius pulled on Albus' sleeve. The anger seemed to melt from the boy. He turned to his friend, who gestured over his shoulder. Rose walked away, leaving the boys to think about what just happened.

"Thanks for defending me," Scorpius mumbled.

"No problem. She shouldn't have said those things about you. Rose is being stupid," Albus said.

"I guess. Did you seriously mean what you said? That you'd hurt her," The boy wondered.

"Not really. I would have said hex, but I'm no good at magic. I just wanted her to stop being mean to you."

"Yeah, but I don't like to see you fight with your family because of me," Scorpius said.

"Well, if it is a comfort, we would fight anyways. You just happened to be the topic." Albus smiled.

"No, it doesn't."

Both boys started to laugh and walked back down the hall.

"Where do you suppose this room is?" Scorpius asked.

"I don't know. We really need it for our Halloween party."

Right after he said that a door manifested itself. It was ornate and huge. Looking at each with wide eyes, they nodded. Slowly they pushed open the doors and were amazed by what they saw. The whole room was decorated beautifully.

The room was dimly lit with purple and green lights, making the place look creepy. There were spider webs all over the ceiling and walls. Black veins were around the doorway and seemed to crawl outwards. There was a huge area in the middle of the floor that was solid black, reminding them of a dark lake at night. Of to the side, there was a black velvet couch and a huge table. On the table were more spider webs, with skulls, candy, and drink. On the other side, fake skeletons and ghosts appeared to be playing the instruments.

"Wow," Scorpius said, staring.

"That is a word for it."

"I guess our decorations aren't needed," Scorpius said, looking at their boxes.

"We can still put them up." Albus shrugged.

The boys used the sticky cobwebs to hang up the tablecloth behind the couch, added the spiders to the webs, and laid the fake skull and the candy on the table. In the corner on the far side, there was a curtained area. Scorpius pulled back the cloth and saw a bench, a mirror, and a hook. It must be the changing room. He walked in and closed the curtain behind him. He put in his cowboy outfit and looked in the mirror. He wore a brown cowboy hat, a tan shirt, a brown vest, jeans, and cowboy boots. He even had a gun holster with a plastic gun sewed in. Scorpius walked out and saw Albus standing there, wearing his pirate outfit.

He had on a white puffy shirt, with a black vest, a long black jacket, black pants, and black boots. He also had a belt with a fake sword and a compass. On his head, he had a bandana and a black pirate hat.

"How do I look?" He stood straighter.

"Amazing. What about me?"

"Great, like a gun-slinging cowboy."

"Why thank you, rich and powerful pirate."

"Any time."

"What do we do first?"

"I suggest we eat candy."

"Good idea, mate."

The dung through the bowl on the table. The first was filled with wizard candy, like Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, and Pepper Imps. The only ones they didn't eat was Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. After finished with that, they moved on to the Muggle candy.

"Let's start with the Chocolate Buttons. They don't sound too bad," Scorpius said.

"Yeah."

They ripped open the bag and poured some into their hands.

"On three. One, two, three."

Both popped them into their mouths and waited.

"Well that was boring," Albus said. "I expected there to be something nasty in the middle."

"Me too. Let's try the Jelly Babies. They sound weird enough."

Albus opened the bag and grabbed a handful. They were various colours, a little transparent, and were in the shape of babies. Feeling a little odd, they ate some. Albus wriggled his nose. Scorpius looked at him with a similar expression.

"These are kind of sour."

"Yeah. I don't know if I like them."

"They have normal flavors. I got orange, cherry, and lemon. You?" Scorpius asked.

"Orange, blueberry, and watermelon."

"It might be boring, but at least it isn't nasty."

"Good point. What about Flake?"

"It kind of looks like bark," Scorpius frowned at it.

"Well, let's just eat it."

They bit into it and were disappointed to find that it was just candy, with no filling. It tasted good though, but it wasn't very interesting. Then, they moved on to Wine Gums. They were weird colours and shapes.

"I don't like them."

"Yeah. What about Sherbet Foundation?"

They tried it and liked it the least. Neither like the sourness or fizziness.

"Let's eat some dinner," Scorpius said.

"Alright."

They ate some chicken, potatoes, green beans, rolls, and some other things. Both finished eating and sat on the couch. Albus stared at the decorations and felt content. This was the happiest evening he'd had since coming to Hogwarts, and he shared that with his best friend.

"Let's dance," Scorpius said suddenly, getting up.

"What? I don't know how to dance."

"Being a Malfoy has its perks. I had dance lessons." He held out his hand. "Come on, I'll teach you."

"Fine." Albus took his hand.

"Stand in front of me. One hand on my shoulder. The other in my hand. I'll lead."

"Whatever."

"Now, step forward," Scorpius instructed.

Albus tried but ended up stepping on his foot.

"Oi."

"Sorry, Scorpius."

"It's fine. Let's try again."

After a few more tries, Albus was ready to give up.

"I keep stepping on your toes. Let's drop it. I'm no good." His shoulders slumped.

"No, it's fine. This is your first time. And we are waltzing to a fast-paced song. I am not diverse in my skills. We can just feel the music and dance. No one is watching. It's only us two."

"Okay."

The boys waved their arms around, spun, and laughed. After an hour of dancing, the boys were tired and a little sore. They flopped back on the couch and caught their breaths.

"I guess it's time to go back," Scorpius said.

"Yeah, it probably is. It was fun while it lasted."

"It was. I had a great time tonight."

"Same. It's the most fun I had since getting here."

"Me too. Maybe we can do it again sometime."

"Sure, maybe for Christmas."

The boys changed out of their costumes, put on their robes, and packed up their things. Albus and Scorpius left the Room started down the hallway.

"I wish I could remember it forever," Scorpius said, smiling as they turned the corner.

"What is you want to remember forever, Mr. Malfoy?" Headmistress McGonagall said.

"Oh, um, nothing."

"Really? Come with me, Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy."

"Okay. Why?" Albus wondered.

"Well, you two are out past curfew and didn't come to the feast. Ms. Granger-We…"

"Rose!" Albus exclaimed, angry.

"Yes." The stern woman quickly recovered from her shock. "She was concerned."

"Sure she was." He rolled his eyes.

"Well, let's go to my office."

"Yes ma'am," Scorpius mumbled.

The boys followed after her and were panicking. Scorpius was worried about Albus, the consequences, and what his father would say. Albus, on the other, was furious at Rose. He couldn't understand why she wouldn't leave him alone. He forgot his anger when he saw Scorpius' terror.

"What is it? Why are you scared?" Albus whispered.

"I don't want to get in trouble. And I don't want my father to be mad."

"Speaking of mad, I can't believe Rose."

"I know. Why does she hate me? I haven't done anything. And now we might get expelled!"

"Woah. No, we won't. It will be fine. We had a great time, just for too long. Once we explain, it will be alright. It isn't the end of the world." Albus calmed down his friend.

Headmistress McGonagall whispered the password and the Griffin moved out of the way. The portraits remarked on the students. Dumbledore smiled down at them and Snape watched closely. They all sat down and started to talk.

"Would you two care to explain where you were?"

"Um, well." Albus looked at Scorpius. "We were in the Room of Requirement."

"What? Why?"

"We were having a Muggle Halloween Party."

"A what?"

"A Muggle Halloween Party, ma'am," Scorpius said. "We didn't want to go the feast and I mentioned Muggle Halloween."

"And I suggested having a party," Albus finished.

"We asked Professor Collins about it," Scorpius went on.

"Professor Collins?"

"Yes, we knew she would know with her being the Muggle Studies teacher. She got us some candy, decorations, and costumes." Albus gestured to the packages.

"We decided to have it in the Room of Requirement so no would…interrupt us and…"

"I guess we didn't ask for a clock," Albus said, not finishing that sad train of thought.

"I see. There is nothing terribly _wrong_ with that. I should have been notified and a clock should have been asked for. However, things can't go unpunished. A week of detention."

"You mean it? Okay. Thanks!" Scorpius exclaimed.

"Um, you're welcome. Now go to bed," The Headmistress said, sternly.

"Goodnight," he said, smiling.

"Goodnight."

Both were excused and sent back to their dorms. Scorpius was happy that his parents weren't being told. Albus was happy that nothing too bad at happened to them but he was still angry at Rose. Sneaking into their dorms, they got ready for bed. Both boys were asleep when their heads hit the pillows.

Headmistress McGonagall shook her head as she finished some things up. She looked at Dumbledore's portrait. He was still smiling, seemingly pleased.

"Ah. The next generation," he said. "It is amusing to see things play out unexpectedly."

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"A Potter in Slytherin and friends with a very different Malfoy. Those are not things people would have imagined happening a year ago. Things are changing. Hopefully, for the better."

"Hopefully."

The classes the next day were interesting and hard. The whispering had come back after the others heard that they had gotten in trouble. Luckily, the students didn't know what for. Albus was sure they would have been made fun of. In Potions, they were writing notes again. As they did, more parchment balls were thrown at them. Neither opened them up. In Herbology, Professor Longbottom tried to do group work, but no one wanted to work with them, so they had their own group. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, they learned about Doxies. They were small creatures covered in black coarse hair that laid eggs in the ground. Their last class was Muggle Studies where the teacher had indeed brought in some outfits after talking to half the class. A lot of the students were doing it, so it went by fairly quickly.

"Scorpius and Albus," Professor Collins called.

They walked up to her desk and sat in the chairs in front of her desk.

"I wanted to hear what you were doing for your project."

Tired and nervous, they handed her their parchment paper. She read over it quickly, smiled, and gave it back to them.

"I have that stuff on the racks in the back," she encouraged. "And I wanted to say I'm sorry that you two got in trouble."

"It's fine," Scorpius said. "We got in trouble for staying out late, not for the party."

"Yeah, she seemed to understand."

"Alright. If you two wanted, you guys can stay after class and go through the racks. Class is almost over, so just work on something for another class," the professor smiled gently at them.

"Thank you."

Albus and Scorpius went and looked over their notes and started filling out their Astronomy chart. They had finished going over the moon and its phases and were going to have an essay on it soon. After a few minutes, both boys looked around and saw that everyone had indeed left.

"Let's look," Albus said.

"Okay."

They looked at the things on the racks. After ten minutes, they had gathered all of their stuff and put it in one of the boxes. Both carried it out and were on their way to class when they saw James.

"Hey, Al," he walked up to them.

"Where are your friends?" Albus asked.

"Somewhere around here," he smiled. "What do you and your friend have there?" He pointed at the boxes.

"Our Muggle Studies project," Albus answered.

"Plan on becoming Muggles." He smiled.

"No," Albus said angrily. "The class is mandatory, remember."

"I know, I am just surprised that you two are trying so hard. That is a big box."

"Why wouldn't we try? Because we are Slytherins." Albus glared at his brother.

"No. I was just saying-." He started.

"Well, don't. We need to go. These boxes are heavy." He walked off.

The boys went to their dorm and hid the boxes under the beds. They didn't want their roommates to see them and decide to bully them there. It was nice that no bothered them sometimes. Only a few places were like that to the boys; the Room, the dorms, and the lake.

After eating dinner, the boys headed to detention with Professor Longbottom. It was pretty easy. He only asked them to do small tasks, like move pots, water some plants, and help organize some papers. They got to talk and the professor paid them no attention.

"So…we got our Muggle Studies project done." Scorpius started.

"Yeah, it seems pretty easy."

"It is the first year of it being taught like this. There is bound to be problems."

"Like students not wanting to do and how to get things." Albus rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, so how many kids do you think are doing it?"

"The Hufflepuff students will, but I doubt any Slytherins will."

"They will fail, then. If they do, then what happens? Will they have to take it again? What are the policies for the class?"

"I don't know. It is mandatory this year, but what about next year?"

"Who knows? Hopefully, they will figure it out."

"Yeah, I really like the class."

"I do too."

Then, the boys were forced to head to Astronomy. Both of them turned in their charts and headed to their seats. They sat in the front and were surrounded by Ravenclaws. Luckily, they were mean to them. The Ravenclaw students just wanted to do their work and leave. Slytherin didn't do anything either, they were too tired. Despite it messing their sleep schedule up, it was up there in their list of favorite classes. Exhausted, the boys stumbled to their dorm and went to bed quickly.

The next morning, the mail came. Albus recognized his family owl. He sighed as it landed in front of him. Scorpius also got a letter, as he was still talking to his family. He watched as his friend quickly open his letter and read over it.

"What does it say?" Albus asked.

"They are talking about their day and they are glad school is going well. I told them about my Muggle Studies project. They are interested in it and of course Mum would love to see me in it." Scorpius smiled.

"Yeah, I got a letter also," He asked staring at it.

"Well, open it," Scorpius encouraged.

Albus slowly opened the letter and read over it.

"'Dear Al, We haven't heard from you in a while and we wanted to see if you were okay. Are you still having a hard time? Have you made any new friends? How is Muggle Studies going? We are doing well. Love, Your Parents.'" Albus finished reading.

"I am going to write back. You should too. They are just concerned," Scorpius said.

"I know. I will. I just don't know what to tell them. They can't fix or change anything," Albus said bitterly.

They finished breakfast and headed to their first class; Charms. So far they had learned Wingardium Leviosa, Lumos, Alohomora, and now they are going to learn about Incendio. Albus had trouble with it and sighed. He looked over at Scorpius' candle flame. He was going to have to ask for help later. He sat and wondered why he was so bad at magic.

After Charms, Albus and his blond friend went to Transfiguration. That day the students were asked to turn a match into a needle. It was pretty hard to do. Luckily, Albus wasn't the only one that couldn't do it. Rose, Scorpius, and another Gryffindor were the only ones that got it.

During Lunch, the boys wrote the response to their parents' letters. Scorpius quickly wrote his letter and started eating. Albus was having a harder time. He decided to do as he has done so far. He wrote about Scorpius.

'Dear Parents,

I am doing great. I am just busy with school and all. Everything is alright. No, I haven't made any more friends. I don't need to. Scorpius is great. He helps with my homework, school, and he is great. We have had a lot of fun. He is my best friend.

Love,

Albus.'

The boys sent their letters off and walked to class. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, they talked more about Doxies. Professor Duncan told them the darker side of doxies. They were pests and are venomous. He had some eggs for them to look at.

"Does anyone have any questions?" The professor asked.

Rose's hand shot up.

"Yes."

"How long does it take for them to hatch?"

"Two to three weeks."

"What about the venom? If bitten, what do you do?"

"Well, you will need the antidote immediately."

"Didn't your Uncle George put it in his Skiving Snackboxes so kids can get out of class?" A Gryffindor girl said.

"Oi. Don't bring that up, Sophie. That's wrong!" She hit the girl's arm.

"That's enough." The professor smiled at them.

The bell rang and everyone left class. Albus and Scorpius' next class was History with Hufflepuffs. The class went on forever as Professor Blackwood went on about Gargoyle Strike of 1911. Luckily, they were finishing up on it and were about to move out. Unluckily, they were going to have to write an essay about it. Finally, the bell rang and the pair ran out of the classroom and went to their dorms. Albus laid down and went to sleep. Scorpius was asleep shortly after.

When they woke, they realized they were late for the feast. The boys quickly made their way to the Great Hall and quietly snuck in and started eating. The boy avoided everyone and didn't talk much. They were still tired and wanted it to be the weekend. As they were walking out of the Great Hall, two Ravenclaw students walked towards them. Tensing, they looked at each other. The two older students slammed them against the wall.

"We know you two freaks did it!" One yelled.

"Did what?" Scorpius squeaked out.

"We haven't done anything!" Albus yelled. "Now let us go."

"No. You two stole our jewelry."

"Not this again," Albus groaned.

"This isn't a joke!" The other said.

"What is going on?" Headmistress McGonagall said.

"These losers stole our jewelry."

"Now, hold on a minute. Calm down and let's go to my office," She crossed her arms.

The two students let them go. All four walked to the office.

"What is going on here?"

"We believe that these two stole our jewelry. We heard they might have stolen the other girl's necklace. They were missing last time and got detention. This time they were late for the feast. So, they stole again." The Ravenclaw student explained quickly.

"We were sleeping. We have to go to Astronomy on Wednesdays. It makes us tired," Albus said. "Why would we steal a girl's jewelry?" He turned to the girls. "You use logic, right? So explain that."

"You are Slytherins. You are horrible."

"Wow, good argument." Albus clapped slowly.

"Well, why did you get detention?"

"For being out after curfew. We didn't want to be at the Halloween feast."

"Why?"

"Wow, so nosy. I don't know. Maybe because everyone is so nice to us." Albus replied.

"That is enough. We have not found the person who has been doing this, but I can assure you that it isn't these two boys. I will investigate this. Tell me about the jewelry."

"I lost a ring my mother gave me. It is gold with a diamond. Also, I lost a gold bracelet." The aggressive girl said.

"I lost a gold bracelet and necklace. A picture of my dad is in it." The quiet girl said.

"I see. We will be on the lookout for your things. Now, try to refrain from spreading rumors, making conclusions, and jumping students. You two," she looked at the Ravenclaw students, "will have detention for a month. I will not tolerate bullying and hurting other students."

"Okay." Both said, looking down.

"You two are dismissed."

The Ravenclaw girls left and the boys sat there and wondered what was going to happen next.

"So, this is the second time you have been blamed for stealing something. Do things like this happen a lot?" The Headmistress asked.

"Um, I guess. Kids are cruel. It's fine." Albus said.

"I see," she said, realizing he wasn't going to open up. "Well, if you need anything. I mean anything, you can come to me."

"Alright."

"You two are dismissed."

"Thank you. Goodnight, Headmistress," Scorpius spoke for the first time.

Both boys made it back to their dorm and talked quietly.

"Thanks," Scorpius said.

"Why are you thanking me?" Albus wondered.

"I don't know. You just…you were pretty amazing back there. I didn't know what to say. I was expecting that."

"No problem, Scorpius." He shrugged.

The boys finished getting ready for bed and laid down. Both couldn't sleep at first. They were thinking about the last few weeks. They were accused of stealing, were attacked by other students, and treated horribly. Albus hated it and was disappointed. That wasn't how he thought his time at Hogwarts would be. Scorpius, on the other hand, expected people to mean. He just never thought they would be that aggressive. Both thought of the Halloween party and felt comforted. At least, they had each other.

Friday passed by slowly as it was filled with whispers and glances. The two boys kept their heads down. Classes passed by slowly. In Potions, they still wrote notes. In Herbology, they review what they had learned. In DADA, they worked some more on Incendio. Then, in Muggle Studies, it was the last day of planning for their projects. Monday they were going to have to wear their outfits. The Slytherins weren't happy about that. Albus and Scorpius wondered if they were going to do it at all.

The weekend came and the boys got the chance to relax. Saturday, both went to the lake and sat under a tree. Albus stared at the clouds and thought about nothing in particular. Scorpius stared at the lake and thought about school. He didn't know what was going to happen. His resolve was shaken. The boy thought he was prepared, but he wasn't. Sunday, both stayed in their dorm rooms. Everyone else was either out or hanging in the common room.

"Why don't we work on our History essay?" Scorpius suggested.

"It hasn't been assigned yet. The professor was just warning us."

"Well, better to get started on it. It can't be too complicated. And then, we start on the Astronomy essay."

"Well, alright. Thanks for ruining a perfectly good weekend," Albus huffed.

"Better than rushing, trying to do it during the week."

"Good point."

The boys sat and started working on his essays. Scorpius went through it pretty quickly. Albus wasn't far behind. He hated writing essays, but at least they didn't involve magic. His strong suit would have to be on paper. If he didn't work hard on that, then he might get horrible marks. At least, this way, the marks will be average.

Most of the morning was spent working on essays. By lunchtime, the boys were mostly finished with their essays. They only needed a little more information and details on the assignment. It could easily be adjusted. Feeling proud of themselves, the boys laid in their beds and ate candy.

Classes started Monday and both boys were not ready for them. In Potions, they were moving on and starting on a new potion. This one was the herbicide potion. It was used to damage plants and wasn't for humans. At least, they wouldn't have to taste them. Herbology was pretty boring. They were doing an essay on Puffapods. The boys worked on their essays during lunch. DADA was alright. They had moved passed Incendio pretty quickly, thanks to Herbology, and went starting Flipendio. It flipped your opponent backward and away from you. As the class went on, both boys started to get nervous.

"We are going to have to wear our outfits," Scorpius whispered to Albus.

"I know."

"I am nervous. What if we get teased…or hit?" He was still scared of students having the response the Ravenclaw girls did.

"It will be fine. The Hufflepuff students will be doing as well and Professor Collins will be there." Albus said. "We will be fine."

The bell rang and both to the bathrooms. Both of the boys locked themselves in a stall and quickly changed into their outfits. As they walked out, they saw Atlas and Zeke walking in. Both stared and were surprised to see clothes in their hands.

"What?" Zeke snapped. "We don't want to fail, then we will have to retake it."

Albus and Scorpius left and headed off to class. A few Hufflepuff students were already seated and were in their outfits. Annabelle Kingston dressed up as a nerdy/bookworm girl. She had on an oversized sweater, boring jeans, converse, and her hair was up in a bun with pencils sticking out. A boy was dressed up as jock and beside him was his sister, who was a cheerleader. Both were smiling. More Hufflepuff students filed in. There was a basketball player, a couple of hippies, and an astronaut.

Albus was sitting there looking like a hoodlum. Deciding to own it, he leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. He looked down and studied his outfit. His leather jacket was a little big on him. Hopefully, he would grow into it. His tee-shirt was big also and it had a band on it; ACDC. His ripped jeans fit and had some holes below the knee. His combat boots were used and well-worn. He had failed to get the fake earrings and tattoos, but he had managed to find a big ring that had a black stone and swirls designs around the band. Overall, he felt awesome and confident.

Scorpius stared down at his outfit. He was wearing a light blue button-up under a cream sweater. His skinny jeans were black and had on some nice shoes, a beanie, black brimmed glasses, and had on some bracelets made from beads and string. He liked how it looked formal, but had a casual flair. It fit who he was pretty nice.

All the Hufflepuff had arrived and were dressed to. Soon, some Slytherin students walked in. Albus recognized Atlas and Zeke at the front of the group. Atlas was wearing sunglasses, a sky blue button-up with the sleeves pushed up, white shorts, and blue sneakers. Zeke was wearing a faded red tee-shirt, blue jean shorts, and converse. Apparently, both really liked the warm weather and the beach.

Behind them were three Slytherin girls, who wore short dresses with heels and purses. After them, some more came through. They were dressed in various outfits. Lastly, the four meanest Slytherin students came in. Claudia Mallory came in with her arm hooked around Grayson Goyle's arm, Víctor Runcorn, and Patrick Davis. All four of them were dressed in their school uniforms.

"I see you four are not wearing a Muggle outfit," Professor Collins pointed out.

"I wouldn't wear a Muggle outfit if my life depended on it," Mallory sneered.

"They are disgusting," Goyle told.

"Fine, then you fail the unit. Congratulations. Now, please sit."

They slowly made their way through the aisle and to the back of the classroom.

"Today we will be talking about the outfits were are wearing. I have brought Muggle drinks and snacks, as that will be out next unit. Please enjoy some of it and walk among yourselves."

She pulled various things out of a relatively small bag. There were many types of crisps, biscuits, and candy. Professor Collins laid them on a long table on the far side of the room and went back to her desk. At first, no one moved. It was quiet and still for a couple of minutes. Then, the Hufflepuff girls got up and headed to the table giving everyone some courage. Carefully, Scorpius and Albus got something. Soon, everyone had gotten something, except Goyle and his buddies. They sat there, alone, as everyone else got up and conversed with their classmates. The class seemed to go by terribly slow, but in the end, the bell rang.

"Well, that went pretty well," Scorpius said.

"A lot more people dressed than I thought." Albus nodded.

"It was an easy class today," Scorpius went on.

"It was, but we still have the rest of the week."

The rest of the week went by and it was the weekend again. Scorpius and Albus did some homework and studied. When they were doing that, they were hanging out by the lake under a tree. The weekend was pretty relaxing, but it had to end.

Monday morning, during breakfast, Scorpius and Albus saw some Hufflepuff students crying. Her friends were trying to comfort her. Albus slowed down and tried to listen. Scorpius stopped and waited for his friend.

"My golden brooch is gone. I can't find it anywhere," she sobbed.

Sighing, Albus joined his friend. Scorpius raised an eyebrow, but Albus shook his head and mouthed 'later'. The boys made it their table and loaded their plates.

"What was that about?" Scorpius whispered.

"A golden brooch was stolen. This is getting out of control. Who would steal these things? Why haven't they been caught?" Albus wondered.

"I don't know."

Over the next few weeks, things continued the same way. Albus and Scorpius learned new spells, pieces of History, and about Muggle food. Also, more jewelry was stolen. They talked about calling the Ministry. It was getting pretty serious. People were worried and were starting to hide their jewelry.

As December came, it started to snow. Everyone in school started to get excited. There were fights, snowman, and angels everywhere. Things seemed to lighten up that month. No one lost their jewelry, no one was teased, and no disaster happened.

Headmistress McGonagall came around asked the students if they were staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. Albus considered it, but Scorpius talked him out of it. He needed to spend some time with his family. Albus wasn't sure that it was a good idea, because he had a bad feeling that something was going to go wrong.

 _Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Who do you think is stealing?_


	5. Chapter 5: Christmas Break

**CHAPTER 5: Christmas Break**

"I can't wait to see my Mum and Dad," Scorpius said.

"Me either," Albus said quietly, staring at his hands.

"It will be great." Scorpius patted his friend's shoulder.

"I guess so." He shrugged.

Scorpius looked around and saw his parents. His father stood straight and had an arm around his mother's waist. She looked tired but was smiling. They waved at him and he waved back.

"My parents are here. Bye, I am going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too."

Scorpius went to hug Albus, but the latter stopped him. The blond looked at the hand on his chest and raised an eyebrow.

"We may be best friends, but I don't do hugs," Albus told him.

"That's fine."

"Good."

"How about a handshake?" Scorpius suggested.

"Sure."

"Well then. Goodbye, Albus." He held out his hand.

"Goodbye, Scorpius." Albus shook his hand, smiling.

Albus watched as Scorpius walked off towards his parents. All three were smiling. Both hugged his friend and went off into the steam. Albus looked around and saw his parents and his other family members. He waved half-heartedly and made his way over to them. They smiled at him.

"How are you?" Ginny asked.

"I'm good," he mumbled.

"Good to hear that," Harry said. "I heard you have been having some fun."

"Fun?" Albus looked at his father, confused.

"Yeah, having a Halloween party."

"Was it fun?" Ron wondered, smiling.

"Ron!" Hermione hit his arm. "They got in trouble."

"So?"

"We got in trouble for being out late, not for the party," Albus told them.

"I see, so _Headmistress_ McGonagall is going soft." Ron smiled.

"No, we still got detention," Albus said.

Right then, James and Rose came up. James went on talking about his time at Hogwarts and Quidditch. Rose and Albus stood, staring at each other and didn't say a word. Harry and Hermione noticed and planned on talking to them later. Soon, everyone went their separate ways and to their homes.

"Hey, Gin. Did you notice Al and Rose's behavior towards each other?"

"No. What's wrong?" Ginny out down the half-folded shirt.

"They appeared to be angry at each other."

"They did? Maybe we should talk to Al. And tell Ron and Hermione. We can't have them not getting along."

"Yeah. There's something else," Harry started.

"What?"

"That party. Don't get me wrong, I am happy Al is having fun, but it was pretty dumb of them to do that," Harry finished.

"If I remember correctly, you did worse in school, along with Hermione and my brother."

"Yeah, my friends. I don't like Scorpius getting Al into trouble…"

"Why do you assume it was Scorpius? It could have been Al's idea."

"I don't see how." Harry shook his head.

"It could have been. Don't jump to conclusions, Harry. Let's talk to them and get all the facts. Don't make the same mistakes twice," Ginny reminded him gently.

"Alright."

The next morning, Albus woke up and just stared at the ceiling. He wasn't excited about Christmas this year. The boy was certain that this family reunion would go the same as school; whispers, stares, and comments. Albus wished that Scorpius was here with him because everything was better when he was around. Sighing, he got up and headed down to the kitchen. He paused when he saw his dad sitting at the table, drinking coffee.

"Good morning, Al," Harry said, smiling.

"I go by Albus now," He replied, not looking at his father.

"Um, ok. Well, I wanted to talk to you about something. Have a seat." He gestured to the seat next to him.

Albus sat across from him and waited.

"I noticed you and Rose aren't getting along."

"Yeah, well she hates Slytherin so…" He trailed off, crossing his arms.

"She does not," Harry sighed, "She's just-."

"Surprised? So was I. Ever since she has treated me differently. And she's mean to Scorpius!"

"About him. I wanted to talk to you in person, not in a letter."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am talking about how he got you in trouble."

"Got me in trouble? Is that what Rose told you?!"

"I haven't talked to her. Now, calm down. I'm just not sure if Scorpius is a good friend."

"He is! He is the best friend anyone can ask for."

"I just don't want him to get you in serious trouble."

"He won't. Now goodbye."

Albus headed to his room and slammed the door.

James cringed as the wall shook. Closing his eyes, he thought about things. Al hadn't been getting along with any of them. He couldn't understand what the big deal was. Why did it matter so much that Al was Slytherin? He, unlike the others, didn't treat him differently. James teased his brother anyway.

Lily was woken by the sound and went to find her Mum. The little girl knew it was bad to be in Slytherin, therefore she blamed everything on that, and didn't know what she thought when it came to her brother. Was he a bad boy? Would he get in trouble? Was he scary now?

Hermione and Ron had varying viewpoints on the whole situation. Ron was upset that Al was sorted into Slytherin and wasn't upset by the party or the fact that Rose was getting along with Al. He thought everything would just work itself out. Hermione feared the worst. She didn't want to see them break apart and never talk. She went to talk to her daughter.

"Hey, Rose." She knocked on the doorframe.

"Yeah." Rose sat down her hairbrush and turned towards her mother.

"I wanted to ask about what happened between you and Al. Both of you seemed mad."

"Well, he and Malfoy had that party. They hadn't shown up for the feast and I couldn't find them so I went to the Headmistress."

"And got them in trouble," Hermione figured out.

"Yeah. Al got so mad. He has been different ever since he became friends with Malfoy," Rose complained.

"You think so?"

"Totally. He wants nothing to do with me. He either ignores me or yells at me," Rose huffed, frustrated.

"Well…" Hermione thought. "Think about it from his perspective. He was sorted into a house he never thought he would be in and has found a not so good response. He might be acting mad because he feels you hate him for being Slytherin. Maybe if you show him you're okay with him being in Slytherin he will be nicer."

"But, I'm not. He's a Potter. He belongs with us. Then, he met Malfoy and ended up in the House of Snakes. Slytherins are evil," Rose sneered.

"Rose!" Her mother snapped. "That is such narrow thinking. Al isn't any different because of Scorpius, who seems like a very nice boy. He hasn't changed. You may just now be noticing things. He may be a Potter, but he belongs wherever he wants to. He was sorted into Slytherin and the hat is never wrong. Don't think like that. He is your cousin, so try to talk to him."

"Fine."

"Okay."

A few days later it was Christmas Eve. Harry and Ginny were starting to get ready for the Christmas Party they were going to have at the Burrow. It was going to last a few days and was going to be perfect. At least, it was supposed. This year, there was a tension there. James and Lily started to get dressed.

Albus was angrily throwing things into his suitcase. The whole thing made him angry. He knew this was going to be horrible, therefore he didn't want to go. He became furious as he looked over his things. A lot of his clothes were red, like Gryffindor. Red wasn't the only offending colour; green was infuriating as well. This holiday was going to be frustrating.

"Both are Christmas colours," he muttered. "How do they not fight?"

He finished shoving things into his case and stared at the wall. The anger left and all that was left was a feeling of loss and uneasiness. He was uncomfortable and miserable in his own house. How was he going to feel when he got to the Burrow, surrounded by Gryffindors?

"Al, come down and eat!" His mother called.

Slowly, I went downstairs.

"Why aren't you dressed?" She demanded.

He just shrugged.

"Okay. Eat and get dressed. Quickly."

Sitting down, Albus ignored his siblings. Both wore red and looked like perfect children. He ate quickly and ran upstairs. He took his time getting ready and went through all of his clothes. He wanted the same feeling he got when he wore that outfit in Muggle Studies. Finally, he put together an outfit that worked for the occasion. After a lot of yelling from his mother, he joined his family downstairs.

"You're wearing all black," Harry stated, thinking of Malfoy and his Death Eater friends.

"Maybe he thinks it a funeral," James teased.

"Shut up, James. Let's go." Albus stomped out of the kitchen.

Finally, the family made it to Burrow. Everyone else was already there. The family showed up and knocked. No one got the door, so Ginny opened it. They walked in and were met by chaos. James ran off to go talk to George and Teddy. Lily went to go talk to Hugo. Harry left to find Ron and Hermione. Albus looked around and was suddenly filled with fear. He backed up and ran into his mother.

"Al, are you alright?" She asked, concerned.

"Yeah, just nervous. A lot has changed," he mumbled.

"A lot has changed, but not everything."

"You're here!" Hermione came over. "We've been waiting."

Albus watched as his aunt dragged his mother away. He stood by the door, clutching his suitcase. After a while, his hands started to cramp, so he sat his case down by the others. Taking a deep breath, he went into the crowd. Not knowing who to talk to, he sat down on the couch and thought things over.

Everything was fine before Hogwarts. Then, he was sorted into Slytherin. He thought his parents were fine with it and he wrote them. He talked about school, Slytherin, and Scorpius. His parents could only relate to school, which had changed. They weren't in Slytherin and didn't seem fond of Scorpius. Both kept suggesting he make other friends, but with who? With Gryffindors? So, then he didn't even bother to write them anymore. He didn't even tell them about the Halloween party, so how did they find out about it. He also failed to tell them about the bullying. They couldn't change what people thought. All he could do was tell them about Scorpius, who they didn't accept. They didn't even know a lot about him.

Feeling like he was going to cry, he got up and went to sit on the porch. He sat and rubbed his face. He wasn't going to let them see him cry. He was going to stay strong and not show weakness.

"How's it going?"

Albus looked up and saw Charlie Weasley. He was the shortest of the Weasley boys and stocky, with huge muscles. His face was weather-beaten with some scars and many freckles. All over his hands and arms were scars, blisters, and burns. His dark red hair touched the collar of his plain white shirt.

"Okay, I guess. You?" Albus said quietly.

"Fine. Just escaping Mum." The older man shrugged, lightening a cigarette.

"Why?"

"Well, we just don't have the same viewpoints. I want my hair long, she doesn't. I want to stay single, she wants me to marry. We just aren't agreeing." The man down and looked at Albus. "However, I want you to understand something."

"What?" Albus said, taken back.

"Just because we don't agree, it doesn't mean we don't love each other. She just doesn't understand and wants me to be happy. So, I tell her over and over that this is who I am and this is what I want. If I yelled at her, it would help much. Relationships are about communication. It seems that people have forgotten that at some point." Charlie finished and took a long drag of his cigarette. "Just think it over, Albus."

"I will," he said, surprised.

Charlie Weasley went back inside and left Albus to think. They all still loved him and wanted him to be happy. That was an easy concept because they were family. However, they still treated him differently and didn't like Scorpius. Also, that didn't change the school's perspective on the matter. He still didn't know who he was.

Sighing, he went inside. Everyone had settled down some and were talking. Albus stood by the fireplace and waited for some to approach him. So, of course, he stood there for a while. His legs started to get tired, therefore he walked around some and looked at the place. Just a few months ago the place felt safe, like a second home, but now it felt stifling. He stood out from the rest and he didn't like it. Albus didn't feel like he had changed, just other people's views of him did.

"How's it going?" He heard a soft, sweet voice say.

"Fine."

Dominique Weasley was the perfect mix of Bill and Fleur. She had curly, reddish-blonde hair with dark blue eyes. She was tall, skinny, and beautiful. Albus could tell she was beautiful, but he didn't get what the big deal was. He supposed it was because she was part veela. Albus knew that she wasn't all beauty. She was deadly smart and protective over her loved ones.

"I see you decided to wear black also," she smiled.

He looked over and she was wearing black, but not as much as him. She wore a blue dress with black heels and a black jacket. Her hair was pinned back by black clips. Even her nails were painted black. However, she looked radiant, not like a troublemaker.

"Yeah. Wanted to look all cool and mysterious," He told her.

"I understand that. Surprised you aren't rocking your house colours considering they are Christmas colours. And I think you would look great in green and silver," She commented.

"I suppose. Just didn't want to display it."

"Why? Because Slytherins are bad," she said, bluntly.

Albus just glared at her.

"What? It's what everyone says. I didn't say I believed it."

"What do you believe then?" Albus asked.

"That everyone is disappointed that you are Slytherin. Everyone thought you would be like your father, like James."

"I could tell," Albus sighed.

"Yeah, so people don't know who you are now. They fear how you will turn out," Dominique explained.

"Yeah, whatever. Tell me about being a Ravenclaw."

"It's nice I suppose. Some of the people are stuck up and rude, but it's alright. On Saturdays, we sit around and tell things we have learned and discussed things."

"Cool."

"It is. I could sit there for hours and listen to them talk. So I guess that is why I am a Ravenclaw. I am not just smart, but I appreciate and value intelligence. Knowledge and education are important to me."

"What does Slytherin say about me?" Albus mumbled.

"I don't know." She admitted. "I have to go. See you around."

"See you."

Albus was glad to see that Charlie and Dominique didn't seem so hostile towards him. Feeling better, Albus started to walk around and tried to join some conversations. He spotted Teddy's turquoise hair and found him talking to James. He just stood there and didn't say a word.

"Aren't you excited about the Quidditch match? You are the seeker, just like Harry!" Teddy told him.

Feeling uncomfortable about Quidditch, as he still can't fly on a broom, and his father, Albus walked off. He saw Lily and Hugo and walked over to see what they were doing. As soon as they spotted him, both stopped playing and stared at them. Albus could see that they looked scared. Feeling like a criminal, he swiftly left and bumped into Victoire.

"Woah," she said. "Where's the fire?"

"I gotta go." Albus pushed passed her.

"Hey, Al, running away from a crime scene?" Fred said.

"No," he gasped out.

He kept walking through the house. Louis and Roxanne jumped out of his way like he had leprosy. Soon, people were blurry. He had to get out. Feeling trapped and hot, he ran outside into the snow. Gasping, threw off his jacket.

"What are you doing?" Rose demanded.

"Nothing," he snapped, pacing.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"This," Albus screamed, gesturing at everything. "All of you."

"Can I help?" She asked, slowly.

"Now you want to be nice to me," He yelled. "Is it because our parents are watching? Did Aunt Hermione put you up to it? I bet she did."

"No! It's isn't like that. Why are you this way?" Rose yelled back.

"Like what?"

"An evil, horrible person."

"Maybe because I'm Slytherin!" He said, laughing.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," she sneered.

"Glad we are on the same page!" Albus stomped off and went walking in the tall grass.

Albus walked for a long time. Soon, his legs were tired and he was cold. He sat down in the tall grass and started to cry. Nothing was going right. The kids were afraid of him, everyone thought he was a bad person, and even Rose hated him. They used to be friends and were so close. He could have told her anything. Albus wished again that Scorpius was here. He hugged his legs and shivered.

"Al?" He heard someone say.

"Go away," he said, weakly.

"Al? Where are you?" His mother asked.

"Nowhere."

"There you are?" Ginny broke through and saw Albus. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Really, then why are you fighting with Rose and crying?"

"Because everyone hates me," he pouted.

"No one hates you. I don't hate you," she said gently, handing him his coat.

"Thanks," he mumbled.

"Now, why do you think everyone hates?" She sat down and wrapped an arm around him.

"Because I was sorted to Slytherin and became friends with a Malfoy," he answered.

"That doesn't mean they hate you."

"Then, why is everyone treating me differently."

"Because we are surprised and worried."

"Not all Slytherins are evil," Albus said.

"I know. My son couldn't possibly be evil. And Scorpius seems nice."

"He is."

"Let's go back. Dinner is almost over and I know you haven't eaten."

"I'm not hungry."

"Al."

"I'm tired and cold. I just want to go to bed."

"Alright."

Albus and Ginny walked back to the Burrow. When they walked in, people were already setting up tents and getting ready for bed. Ginny pointed to their tent and showed him where he was sleeping. Sighing, he got ready for bed and laid down.

The next morning, he woke up feeling horrible. He rolled over and pulled the covers over his head. However, he couldn't go back to sleep. Groaning, he got up and stretched. Then, he remembered that it was Christmas. Slowly, he got up and looked around. Everyone was gone. I guess no one thought to wake the out of control Slytherin. He walked into the Burrow and saw everyone sitting around eating. Avoiding the stares, he made his way to the kitchen.

"Good morning, Al," Ginny said.

"Morning."

"When will we open presents?" James asked.

"Ugh!"

"Come on, please," Various kids begged.

"Fine. We can do it now. Mum," Ginny said to Grandma Weasley. "I guess we are opening presents now."

"Okay. Gather around in the living room."

People tried to squeeze into the living. James was handed his presents first. He got a book on Quidditch, some things from the Joke Shop, and many small things. Lily got a drawing from Hugo, a new dress, and some art supplies. Albus sat and watched as everyone else got their gifts. Finally, it was his turn.

"Here you go," Ginny said.

He opened the present and saw that it was a notebook.

"You can write things down it. Sometimes diaries help," she told him.

"Thanks, Mum."

"Open mine next," Ron said.

"Okay."

He had given Albus an Aviatomobile; a tiny flying toy car.

"Thank you."

"Hermione, give him what you got him. I bet he will love it," Ron said.

"Alright." She rolled her eyes. "Here you go, Al."

He opened it up and saw that it was a thick, leather book. Albus looked up at her. She nodded. He opened it up and saw that it said 'Disney' on the cover. He looked up and gasped.

"Disney's fairy tales! Thank you, Aunt Hermione."

"Your welcome."

"Here's what I got you," Harry said, handing it to him.

Albus opened it up and saw it was a book about Quidditch.

"You like it, right?" Harry asked.

"Sure. I just can't play Quidditch."

"Oh, right. You're a first-year. Maybe next year."

"Sure," Albus sat the book aside.

Things were quiet as the last few presents were passed out. Albus got another dark green sweater with a grey 'A', but it had a different meaning now. Feeling bored, he sat and opened the Disney book. Then, he heard tapping.

"It's for you, Al." His mother said. "From Scorpius."

Albus sat the book down and ran over. There was a letter and a gift. Full of excitement, he ripped into the letter and read of it. Scorpius wished him a Happy Christmas and hoped he was having a good time. He opened the gift and saw what Scorpius had gotten him. It was a beautifully painted picture of Albus in his Muggle outfit. He was sitting by the lake with a huge smile on his face.

Easily ignoring everyone, he grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote his friend back, telling him how much he loved the gift and apologizing that he didn't get him one. Paying the owl, he gave him the letter. Then, he grabbed his book and went back to his tent. Deciding to not read the book without Scorpius, he started writing in his journal. He started writing his viewpoints on everything; Hogwarts, Houses, Classes, Teachers, Students, Family, and Scorpius.

The rest of the day he stayed in the tent. He thought about school, he stared at the picture Scorpius painted, he watched the flying car travel around his bed, and just waited for it to be over. Finally, the next day came and they left. Surprisingly, there was some relief in being home. Grabbing a few snacks, Albus ran back up to his room and locked the door.

Feeling like a horrible friend, he decided to get Scorpius something also. He sat and thought of what the boy would like. He liked blue, school, and being happy. Albus slowly walked downstairs and saw his mother cleaning.

"Hey, Mum."

"Yeah."

"I feel bad I didn't get Scorpius anything. I saw something a while back and I wonder if it is still there. Could we see if it is there and get it for him?"

"Sure. Let me finish cleaning, then we can go."

The boy ran upstairs and got ready. Happily, he waited by the door for his Mum. Sighing, she stopped cleaning and left. The pair went to Diagon Alley and looked around. He found the new shop and found what he was looking for; a music box. It was light blue with golden swirls on it. He paid for himself and smiled at the lady. Albus couldn't wait to go back and give it to his friend.

The next week went by so slowly that it was painful. Albus laid up in his room and was bored out of his mind. All he wanted was to go back to school and see Scorpius. His mood worsened as it dragged on. For the sake of everyone, he stayed in his room and didn't leave often. The whole situation felt horrible.

Albus became very happy when it was the night before he was to go back to Hogwarts. He even ate dinner with his family and no fights broke out. Quickly, he packed his bags and went to bed early. The next morning, Albus jumped out of bed and ran downstairs. The family ate breakfast and went to King's Cross. When they got there, Albus looked around for Scorpius. After a few minutes, he saw his friend. Smiling, he went over to him.


End file.
